Through the Bottom of My Glass
by Sparrow-of-Chaos
Summary: His life was falling apart. Her past was haunting her. Together, they picked up the pieces.Can one person really help you with the hardest time of your life? !ORIGINAL AU!
1. Refuge

Author's Notes: Well, I fianlly finished the first chapter. I am going to assume thatyou readers can figure outwho the people are in this story.Example: Kori Anders; Starfire. So yeah,I hope you read and review

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He ran a hand through his curly blonde hair, mussing it up even more. His form was slouched and he was unkempt and unshaven. Not that he cared; nothing seemed worth the trouble anymore. Black circles hung under his once laughing blue eyes. The same eyes his mother had…and now he was losing her. He was losing both of them, at twenty-five years of age. It wasn't fair…why did he have to be the one to lose the two people who cared about him the most?

The few times Garfield Logan had ever imagined life without his parents, it had never been this painful. Lately everything was falling apart. Staring at the wet pavement, he hadn't noticed it had begun to drizzle. Slowly he dragged his feet around the downtown core. His watch read twelve to eight, soon visiting hours at the hospital would be over, but he couldn't go see them. Face their looks of sadness at how their lives were being cut so short; see the pain on their faces. He cursed the driver of the vehicle that had hit them, as well as their doctor, that had been so unfeeling about them.

The doctor that told him what happened had been so smug sounding that the news hadn't seemed real. The man put on airs that he was the lord and master of life. Garfield looked down at his bruised knuckles…he had taken that look right off of the man's face. It had been one punch, one quick, powerful punch. The doctor went down like a sack of potatoes.

A warm looking light reflected off the pavement, the rain was coming down harder now. He looked up and saw he stood in front of a stone building. The neatly painted sign read; "Azar's Pub". Underneath the green and white sign was a wooden door with a frosted oval window in the center and a picture window to the right of the door, revealing a few people sitting at the tables, drinking, eating and talking. Completely oblivious to the fact their days were numbered from the first breath they took, that they would die, and leave the ones they love behind.

He was about to turn away when he realized a good strong drink was what he needed. He stepped forward and pushed open the wooden door. There was the ring of a bell, then the warmth hit him in calm, rolling wave. He caught the wafting scent of meat and vegetables, beer and wood. Shaking his head he made his way to the bar, avoiding the tables scattered about the small pub. He settled himself down on a stool and lay his head down on the counter top. It was nice and cool, and smelled of wood polish.

"Hello, can I get you anything?" asked a slightly throaty voice. Garfield turned his head and saw a pretty waitress with pale skin and black hair. She was petite and quiet looking, no smile was present on her face. He made a grunting noise and she walked away. She returned with a glass filled to the brim with amber liquid. He thanked her in a raspy voice. He had not spoken much in the past few days.

Taking a sip he sighed, it was exactly what he needed, a brief time of release from all conscious thought. He drained the mug and placed it down on the counter. He felt a bit better and spun on the seat of the stool to face the room. A voice to his right caught his attention.

"Hey, you're new here," It was a man wearing black sunglasses and a blue jacket. Garfield looked at him and nodded, "Well, nice to see someone new around here. My name is Richard Grayson, New York Police Department ," he pointed to the stitched lettering on the jacket that read NYPD then held out his hand

"Hey…my name is Garfield Logan," he took Richard's hand and loosely shook it. Richard took a drink. He had black, gelled hair and had a well built form; he certainly was not a do nothing cop. He took off his sunglasses and laid them on the bar, he then spun so he too, was facing the room. Both men were leaning against the bar, for a while it was comfortable silence, and then Richard spoke.

"I saw a man kill his daughter today," He just said it, no explanation. It was as if he didn't tell someone, it would consume his very soul. Garfield looked over to the man, his icy blue eyes looked haunted, as if he had seen too much, knew too much, been through too much for the human mind to fathom, tounderstand. He spoke again, "What's wrong with the world?"

Garfield thought about that question for a moment, it was as simple as a question could get, yet there seemed to be no right answer. Humanity was losing its morality, and there was nothing could be done.

Garfield looked across the room, "Look," he began, "do you see that woman there?" He pointed to a strawberry blonde girl sitting at a table all on her lonesome. She wore a wrist cast and had a black eye, and was drinking a colourful martini. Her clothes were neon bright; it was a pathetic attempt to be cheerful and happy.

"Yeah what about her?"

"Her boyfriend most likely did that to her, she lied to the nurse, her eyes tell the story clearly. She'll go back to him though. People always go back to what hurts them. See that guy right there?" He pointed to a man in an off-the-rack suit sitting in the back corner, he was downing shots like there was no tomorrow, Richard nodded, "He had an affair, and his wife found out, she left him, and he still doesn't know what he did wrong."

"How do you know that?" asked Richard. As a cop he had to be good at reading people, but this blonde sitting beside him was amazing if he was correct. Garfield looked back to his new companion.

"I'm majoring in animal sciences at the university, but I have degrees in psychology and sociology." Garfield raised his hand in a signal for a refill and turned around to face the bar, Richard did the same. A tall, tanned, red-haired woman came up to them. She wore an apron reading "Azar's Pub, New York's Best Kept Secret." She smiled and seemed to light up the whole room. Her manor was graceful and smooth, as if everything she did was choreographed.

"Yes, how am I to be of service?" she spoke with a light accent that Garfield couldn't quite place. He looked into her shinning green eyes and saw genuine warmth in them, something that was rare in this age of humanity

"Refills please," he stated pointing to his glass and Richard's; she nodded, and walked away. Garfield turned to Richard and saw his face had a hint of colour to it, the looked to the waitress's retreating backside to Richard and smiled, "you like her don't you?"

"Yeah, she is one of the two reasons I come here, the other is the food, especially the cobbler" he said, chuckling lightly. She returned with fresh beers in new glasses. As she left the sound of guitar chords filled the air. The lights dimmed and a spotlight directed Garfield's attention to a small stage near the kitchen entrance at the end of the bar. A large, well-muscled black man sat on a stool strumming a guitar. He began to sing in a deep, soulful voice.

"I never really thought  
that you'd really ever leave.  
I always believed,  
you'd be there for me,  
when times get tough.

I don't want to let go,  
but we're just part of a bigger plan.  
Just please, wait for my good-bye,  
If only, let me say good-bye,  
Wait for my good-bye…"

The song had hit home, Garfield returned his attention to the glass, forcing himself not to cry. It was painful, all these thoughts and memories. He took another long drink. Richard looked at him and stood up, excusing himself to the washroom. He knew Garfield wanted to be left alone, and he respected that.

He looked up as a plate of blueberry cobbler was placed in front of him; "I didn't order…." he began, but the red-haired server cut him off.

"I know, but you needed it, even you knew it or not." She smiled and passed him a fork. He hesitantly took a bite, if only to please the women who was so expectantly watching him. He soon realized she was right, it was exactly what he needed, and it was heavenly. He had just polished it off when a strong voice behind him laughed. He turned, it was the singer. He smiled, revealing very white teeth.

"That's how they get ya to come back, the cobbler," Garfield mustered up a smile best her could. The man sat down beside him, "hi, I'm Victor Stone, I work here, and you are?"

"Garfield Logan," he said quietly, he didn't feel like talking much anymore, the cobbler helped him think in clear focus again, and it hurt, a lot.

"Nice name, very original. That dark haired woman that is right there," he pointed to the pale beauty that had first spoken to Garfield, "Is one of the owners, Raven Roth, and that red-head cook that got you the refill, is the other owner, Kori Anders."

"Hmmm" Garfield took a long drink as Victor began to talk about cars. He was a great guy to talk to, he had many interesting stories.

"All I have ever wanted to do was play football and work on cars, but I really messed up my shoulder in high school, so football is totally out, I'm just bidding my time until I can get a job as a mechanic," At this point Richard came back. Soon all three of them were talking about football, telling stories and jokes. It felt good to talk to people again, and the slight buzz he was feeling helped a lot. Garfield found himself laughing for real for the first time in days.

Soon the topic switched over to world politics and what mistakes the government had made lately. Garfield had finished his fourth beer and third cobbler by this time. He smiled as Richard and Victor argued about the death penalty.

'Well,' he thought, 'I think I found my refuge'

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Well, I hope you liked it, I have a few good plot twists for this story in mind. :) Please Review! 


	2. Jumper

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He sighed; being cut off was awful. He desperately needed the freedom and peace of mind the alcohol brought. The minor drunken stupor he was in provided little relief. He knew it was for his own good, but it was still horrid. He sat at the bar, eating cobbler, happy there was not a limit on the delicious treat. He was unkempt and unshaven as ever, he wore a grubby raincoat and had red eyes from lack of sleep.

"Hey Gar," said Victor Stone, waving as he walked by on the other side of the bar. Garfield nodded in acknowledgement then resumed eating. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Richard Grayson flirting with Kori Anders, the cook. Raven Roth then came into full view.

"Want some more?" she asked, looking at his almost finished plate. He shook his head. Then because the movement made him dizzy, placed his forehead down onto the cool counter top barley missing the plate. Raven looked at him, she felt something like pity well up inside, along with genuine sadness at his loss. She was trying to think of something comforting, when she was called over to a table with four screaming bachelorettes. Signing she went over with a refill of jello shots.

Garfield stood up and tossed some cash down onto the counter, along with a tip for both Raven and Kori. He was stumbling out when Victor caught his arm.

"Whoa man, no way you're driving home, or walking, Richard can drive you home, I would but I got a show to do," he steadied Garfield and yelled at Richard, "Yo, Rich! Can you drive Gar home?"

"No problem!" he bade Kori goodbye and walked over to Garfield, he took Garfield by the crook of his arm and gently lead him outside. Taking care as not to trip his intoxicated friend Richard made his way to his Honda accord. He watched as Garfield climbed clumsily inside.

Richard wound his was though the city streets, it was really quite late and no one was really around. He hoped Garfield's directions were correct. He took turn after turn, his mind barley registering the lights, his senses took over and his now detached mind thought about what had happed today.

He had been filing paperwork when he was told that there was a "jumper" on 8th street, he had gotten there as fast as he could. When he arrived, the other officers on the scene were trying to talk her down. She became more and more hysterical as she stood on the window ledge. He had been able to see her tears from ten stories down. Then she had jumped, and his eyes followed her form as it fell, and then hit the pavement with a sickening smack.

He had always known that by taking this job he was setting himself up to see horrible sights, but it was almost too much to stand now. At the academy, he had seen countless movies and slideshows on death and murders, but they were PG compared to real life. He stopped the car, and Garfield sleepily got out, Richard followed him, and they went inside. They climbed into the elevator and Richard looked around; it was a very nice building. When they reached the fifteenth floor, he was a bit surprised. Garfield had a beautiful apartment. He made sure his friend was safely on the couch, then left.

He had one thought as he climbed into the elevator, was how easy it would be to jump from the ledge outside of Garfield's picture window.

---

She blinked in the bright light steaming in from her window. Raven slowly rose from her bed, her pale lavender tank top was twisted slightly, and she pulled it straight as her feet felt around for her slippers. After finding them she went to the kitchen, she always got up earlier than her roommate, Kori. As she placed the kettle on the stove, she grabbed some bread and made breakfast for bother herself and Kori. She added marmalade to Kori's toast, just low-fat butter to her own.

The kettle let out a shrill whistle, and Raven began to make her favourite herbal tea, she paused before she poured in the water. Something told her she would need caffeine today. She switched tea bags and poured in the water. She left her tea to steep as the she brought a Kori's coffee and toast to her room.

Knocking on the pale pink door, she heard movement. She opened the door and walked into the room. It was varying shades of pink, but it still seemed "homey" to Raven. After locating Kori's sleeping silhouette she placed the toast and beverage on to the desk near the window and opened the blinds. Kori made an incoherent noise at the light and rolled over.

"Goodness of the morning to you, Raven," she said, cherry, even after just waking up.

"Morning Kori, toast is ready," Raven left the room; her tea was waiting. She opened the door and walked down the stairs, tying a robe around her. Kori and she lived above their pub and Raven always had to go downstairs to get the paper. Grabbing it from the floor in front of the mail slot she made her way upstairs.

Kori was sitting on the floor doing a morning yoga workout. Raven sat down and read the paper, starting with an article about a suicide on 8th street.

---

Victor groaned as his alarm clock went off. Stretching he stood and went to get some coffee. He tugged on some cloths and drank some coffee, listening to the news, as the stock report came on he tuned out, preferring to imagine his dream garage. He was brought back to reality when the reporter briefly mentioned a suicide that had occurred yesterday. He marvelled at how he only lived a block away from the scene.

---

Coffee, that was the one thing on his mind, that and cobbler. Somehow, that stuff seemed to make everything better. He stumbled about his apartment. It was upper class style, and was beautifully furnished with everything he could want, except coffee, he was out. He grumbled as he pulled on faded jeans and a striped polo shirt. He would go get a drink at the pub, well…it was a family type place during the time from eight to five, and then it became more bar-like. Although kids were welcome as long as they stayed away from the bar.

He locked the door and went outside, he cursed under his breath; he had forgotten his car in Azar's parking lot. He began to walk, pulling the coat tight around his frame, while thoughts of his parents pulled tight around his mind.

---

Raven twisted open the five deadbolts and flicked the sign to "We're open". She then propped the "Family Breakfast" advertisement in the picture window. Surprising, they did get quite a few families come in on a regular day.

She was a bit surprised to see Garfield walk in a few minutes later. He usually didn't come until after the morning rush came, not before.

"We don't sell alcohol till twelve, remember?" she said, allowing a smile to grace her features. He smiled, and sat down at the counter top.

"I don't have any coffee at my place, besides, Kori says the breakfasts are great here," Raven handed him a menu and went to the kitchen. Garfield sat reading and then choose something, right as Raven came back with is own personal coffee pot. She smiled again, and took his pancake order.

"I'll let Kori know, do you want anything with them? Bacon? Blueberries?" she asked, giving him special options.

"I'm not one to refuse special treatment, so both please, tofu bacon if you don't mind, and tell Kori thanks," he said, smiling for the first time in a week. Maybe it wasn't the cobbler, maybe the reason he loved this place was her. Her presence made him feel calm and relaxed, made the pain seem weaker, and acceptance seem nearer.

He broke from that thought, and others like it when she came back, she handed him a plate that was loaded with blueberry pancakes and tofu bacon. He began to eat, savouring every bite. Raven looked at he ruffled appearance.

"I'm guessing you still haven visited your parents yet, have you?" she asked. He swallowed with difficulty, guilt filling his throat, choking him slightly.

"N-no," He replied in a soft voice. Raven looked down to her hands resting on the bar.

"You're lucky you know, you can say goodbye, and spend time with them before they go. M-my mother died after we had had a fight, I never got to apologise. It has bothered me ever since," Raven didn't seem to be speaking to him when she said that last sentence, it was more to herself. She then looked back to his face, "your parents love you Gar, and they want you to be happy. I am sure they don't want to see you filthy, fighting fatigue and a hangover. Go talk to them, spend time, make the last few days fun."

Garfield looked down to his breakfast, it was only half finished, but it didn't taste as sweet anymore. He quickly finished it and ordered three cobblers to go. As he took the little boxes from her, he paid for his meal, and gave her a huge tip.

"Thanks," he said, and with that, he leaned in, gave her a kiss on the cheek, and walked out the door.


	3. First Dance

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Garfield Logan knocked on the white door and walked in. He smiled at his parents, both whom sat on clean hospital beds. He did his best to ignore all the monitors and medical equipment. He went over and hugged them. His hair was slightly damp from his shower and he shook it out as he handed a box to each of his parents. They opened the boxes with the cobbler inside and thanked their son for the treat. Soon all three were eating and talking about old times and old friends. 

Soon the talk took a more serious tone that Garfield really did not like. He placed is paper plate onto a table and faced his father, Mark Logan. The man was slightly balding and had handsome features, which genetics had gracefully passed on to his son.

"Son, our wills have long since stated that you are our sole heir, but we want you to be aware of that," Mark said solemnly. Garfield nodded. His mother, Marie then spoke up. Her eyes and smile had been passed down to Garfield.

"We want to make sure that you're alright after we…go. You'll be getting the house, and all of our stocks and shares."

"Thanks, I'll be fine, but I don't want you to go…"Garfield felt his eye water as he spoke. He had promised himself that he was not going to break down like this. His mother smiled.

"We won't be truly gone; we'll live on in you. Now tell us, where did you get this cobbler?" She asked.

"From a waitress at a pub I have been visiting lately. She told me something that made me realize how lucky I am," he said, his eyes shining with the light they had recently lost. His father smiled and chuckled.

"So does this waitress have a name?" asked his mother.

"Her name is Raven Roth…" he then began to tell them about the new friends he had made. They seemed genuinely interested. They had always been interested in Garfield's life; it was one of the hundreds of great things they had done.

The talk continued until Marie had a coughing fit and spat up blood. Garfield went slightly pale and called the nurse. He then took the plates and plastic forks to the trash. He said goodbye and left the hospital.

He was glad to leave the stench of sickness and death, not mention Lysol, but he felt bad for leaving. He got to his car and drove to his apartment, with the radio blaring as a distraction.

---

"What?" said Richard Grayson in disbelief. The chief looked at him. Richard sat across from him, dark circles under his icy blue eyes, and with a ghostly pale complexion.

"I told you, the tests say you are suffering from work related stress, also your obsessive personality is making you relive those crimes in your mind. You're in danger of going off the deep end, Grayson," the large man explained, concern in his voice, "I'm putting you on stress leave as of now, you need to unwind. Go have fun, please."

Richard was shocked; he had always tried his best. When his parents had died, millionaire Bruce Wayne had adopted him, and even though living with a millionaire was somewhat cool, it was hard. He felt as if he had to live up to Bruce's standard. Richard knew that the chief was right he did need a break. It seemed that he thought of suicide all the time now.

He took the prescription slip the police doctor had given him and picked up a bottle of sleeping pills. The next stop on his list was to see Kori. He parked his Accord and went inside, enjoying the delicious smell of the place. He immediately noticed that Garfield was not there and that Raven did not seem to be working at the moment. Victor was going around mopping under tables.

"Hey Kori," he said. She waved to him and he sat at the bar. Soon she came over and they began to talk. He told her about taking the required tests and how he was dangerously high on the stress metre. He left out the suicide thoughts though.

Kori in turn told him about a big party some company was throwing. They had booked the entire pub that night. It was at this time Garfield came in, he sat down next to Richard and they both listen to Kori's story.

"Yes we are having this big party here, and are awfully shorthanded. I fear Victor will have to work over time," she said sadly.

"I can help," Garfield, exclaimed, "I have worked as a waiter before and I owe you guys for dealing with an intoxicated me."

"Oh how wonderful!" she pulled him into a crushing hug. Richard laughed as Garfield made a point of gasping for air dramatically.

"Can me and Gar get some drinks now?" asked Richard. Kori nodded and walked off. The two guys began to talk. Richard avoided talking about his forced vacation and Garfield avoided talking about his parents. The conversation went to anything but their personal demons from the day.

Raven same down the stairs, she and Kori had been napping in short breaks in order to be wide awake that evening, now it was her turn to take care of the place while Kori slept. She walked into the room just as Victor began singing to a slow beat.

"When I'm with you,  
I don't fear the future.  
I don't regret the past.  
I only want this perfect moment  
to forever last.  
It's not fair,  
you're sitting over there.  
I want you near.  
Your voice,  
I want to hear…"

Garfield had consumed about a beer and a half and was feeling fair bit looser. He spotted Raven and went over to her. She was wearing a black t-shirt and faded jeans.

"Hey do you want to dance?" He asked, gesturing out to the dance floor.

"Have you been sampling Kori's food creations?" she asked, a look of surprise on her face. He smiled.

"No, but I do want to dance with you," and he took her hand and led her to the dance floor. He pulled her closer, and began to sway with the song. Raven seemed a bit flustered, but soon she put her arms around his neck and began to sway along with him.

Garfield's mind was racing, he hadn't felt this comfortable and warm since he was a little boy. It felt wonderful to be dancing with her. He hoped she didn't notice how fast his heart was beating.

"I want to stay forever,  
here in your arms…"

Raven felt her cheeks flush and her heart pound as she danced with Garfield. It was so amazing, she felt perfectly safe from the world right then. He was so warm so real, so there. She moved closer and rested her head on his chest, and the rest of the world disappeared and her breathing matched his automatically.

"You're the shore to my sea,  
You help me be free.  
You help me breathe,

You help me let go,

to all my fears…"

Kori stood watching them, Richard openly gaped. Victor was smiling as he sang. Soon other couples joined the dancing pair.

"I'll never let go,  
this feels too right  
I'm not letting go,  
I'm holding on to this,  
Tonight…  
and forever..." and with that the song finished, everyone stopped dancing, except for Raven and Garfield, they continued as if Victor hadn't stopped. They broke apart after two minutes after the music stopped.

"Thank you," whispered Garfield.


	4. Party

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Everything was almost ready; the business party was starting in fifteen minutes. Soon all the big wigs and stuffed shirts from some marketing company would be in the building. Garfield liked people for the most part, and was quite fond of parties, but he was a wreck at the moment.

He had just gotten a call that his mother had taken a turn for the worse. He had asked if he could see her, and was informed that no visitors were permitted until they stabilized her condition. He was advised to go on with his regular plans.

'Regular plans…yeah right' he thought has he buttoned up his shirt cuffs. He and Victor were getting ready upstairs. Victor was getting ready in Kori's room, whilst Garfield, himself was in Raven's. Garfield sighed inwardly. He had a duty to his friends; he had to pull himself together. He had finished adjusting the white shirt and making sure his black pants were lint free when there was a knock on the door.

"Yeah?" he called, tying his shoes.

"Are you wearing of the clothes?" It was Kori.

"Come on in," the wooden door the Raven's room opened up and Kori walked in. She was wearing a solid white outfit. She looked like a real chef.

"Are you alright, you seem to be…the…distracted." She said seriously, trying to find the right words. The white of her clothing made her seem much more tanned and her hair seemed redder. Garfield shook his head, and forced a smile on his face. He had promised his friends he would help, and he did not want to worry them with this unsettling news about his parents; they knew enough already.

"I'm fine, thanks for your concern though. Now let's go, the party is starting soon," Kori still looked worried but said nothing, together they left, meeting Victor who was dressed the same as Garfield, in a white dress shirt and black dress pants.

You guys ready?" asked Kori when they got downstairs. Somehow, Richard had been conned into helping as well, probably to earn brownie points with Kori. He stood fidgeting with his bowtie. Raven cam out of the kitchen and placed three silver serving platters covered with appetizers on the table. Garfield and Richard each grabbed one. Raven grabbed the last. She was dressed the same as Victor, Garfield and Richard, but instead of black pants; she wore a long black skirt.

A few cars pulled up out side and Victor grabbed a red vest, he was valet parking for the first half of the evening. Soon the room had about ten people milling about. The number began to go up steadily as Garfield worked his way through the party. Every now and then, he thought he saw a familiar face, but it was always gone when he turned to get a better look.

He sat down in the kitchen, his feet were aching, but for the most part the party looked fun. Victor was getting ready to sing and Raven had taken her place behind the bar. Garfield downed the whiskey shot he had poured himself and took his platter refill. He stepped out and began to resume serving the people who had not ordered their meals yet.

More and more people sat down however, as the lights dimmed and a rather large man stepped up to Victor's microphone. He began a long thank you speech with translated to Garfield as break time. He retreated to the kitchen again. Kori smiled and offered him an egg salad sandwich.

He ate it hungrily; Kori was an amazingly good chef. Raven poked her head in.

"Hey Kori, some guy just ordered that whiskey-vodka thing you invented, can you make it for him?" Kori had a history of making odd food and drink creations, which did not always taste so good; he knew this from personal experience with some of her puddings.

"Not a problem," she replied brightly and she went to the kitchens liquor cabinet and began to pour a drink. Sometimes what she made was really good, and it had earned her a spot on the menu under, "Kori's Creations".

Garfield finished his sandwich and sat in silence, thinking about his mother and how much pain she must be dealing with. He was broken out of his thoughts when he heard Victor begin to strum the guitar. He popped a few breath mints in his mouth and grabbed a note pad. He and Richard began to go to numbered table after numbered table, taking orders and giving them to Kori.

"Hello, my name is Garfield; I'll be your waiter for the evening. Is there anything I can get you at the moment?" he said almost robotically. It was tiring but the receptiveness about it kept him going. Kept his from crumbling from the news of his mother. He barely saw them they were just blurry shapes. His eyes were semi-focused on the man in front of him.

"Yes there is, two martinis, one bourbon chaser, and a holy water," a female voice ordered. Garfield's eyes snapped from looking at the man across the table from where he stood to the woman. She had blonde hair and blue eyes like him, except her eyes were cold and vivid, almost navy blue. She was slender and had a rounded face, as well as a slightly flat nose.

"Yes ma'am," he said, he knew she had recognized him too. Neither said a word, and he left as if nothing was wrong. He left the table and went to Raven for the drinks. While she was pouring them, he marvelled at the odds of her being here. That was his ex-girlfriend; he had thought she moved after she had dumped him.

He carried the drinks back to them and got their dinner orders. He gave the slip to Kori and began to the making his way the rest of the tables. When everyone was eating on his side of the pub, and Richard was in control of his side, he went and sat at the bar, waiting to be called over to a table for a refill or something. He did not expect the blonde woman to come over and sit next to him.

"Hello, Garfield," her strong voice caught his attention immediately. He looked at her, she was wearing a slinky gold cocktail dress and her hair held back by a gold butterfly clip. He wondered what he had ever seen in her, it wasn't like she was beautiful…like Raven was. His train of thought froze, had he really just thought that, he asked himself. His minds reply was yes, and that just confused him more than that earlier dance had.

"Hello Terra," he finally responded.

---

Raven was at her wits end with this party. If it were not so great for business she would have closed up and kicked all these self-important jerks onto the street. The most irritating thing was she kept thinking about that dance she had had with Garfield earlier. In addition, the semi-drunk men making passes at her did not help her annoyance. Her peripheral vision caught Garfield talking to a blonde woman. His body language told her he did not really want to be talking to the blonde-haired woman. She made her way over to him but stopped when she heard her speak.

"Why did we break up Gar?" Terra cooed.

"WE broke up because YOU cheated on ME," he answered coldly. She did not seem fazed by the iciness of his voice.

"Well I realized I was making a big mistake," she said in the same sweet tone. The sickly sweetness of it almost made him gag.

"Really, good for you, Terra, a bit late though." he said, his voice growing colder. She had told him that she had broken up with him because she had said she was moving. Later he had learned she had been cheating on him. He had been heartbroken at the time. She had nearly destroyed his life. Her voice then took a convincingly softer, sadder tone.

"No, I thought it was a stupid thing to do, but I still couldn't call you. I was afraid that you would be mad. I have not been happy since we broke up. I realized I truly love you. "

"You what?" he said, he last comment had caught him completely off guard; it broke him contemplation of that strange thought about Raven.

"Oh Garfield I know you're upset about Mark and Marie. I know how much you love them, they are amazing people and do not deserve this. I know how it feels, remember my parents. You were there for me, and now I am here for you, "She began to rub his back, "Fate has brought us together again,"

Garfield didn't understand it, but everything she was saying was some how making sense. He was starting to believe her. Maybe it was the fact he felt so alone with his parents in their condition that he need someone. She had known them. He did not really understand his own emotions, until that is, she kissed him.

---

Raven's violet eyes opened wide at the sight of Terra kissing Garfield. She then turned on her heel and told Kori that she was switching places with her. Kori did not question the statement Raven's tone scared her. She just went and switching into a serving uniform. Raven began to cook. She did not understand why that kiss was affecting her as it was. She felt angry and jealous…maybe she was not sure. Her emotions were odd and confusing. He was just a bar patron, and maybe a friend. She should not be caring if he kissed Terra, yet she was.

Normally if she was upset she would meditate, that kept her in control, but tonight instead of meditating she simply cooked with such force that it was surprising that food was not destroyed. Meal after meal she prepared, her mind that entire time replaying the kiss repeatedly until finally she burned her hand. The pain caused her to stop and examine her hand. It was not bad; it just needed cold water over it. The burn made her fell better, somehow. It had stopped the replays, giving her a clear, calm mind.

---

He resisted, and pulled away. He was disgusted at her for throwing her self at him. He felt like gagging again.

"What the hell are you doing?" he demanded in an angry voice, but quiet enough so as not to disturb the customers.

"Just kissing you, I know you wanted me to," she said, a bit shocked by his reaction but quickly regaining her cool.

"Like hell I would want that, you sleazy blonde bitch! You cheated on me with my best friend, you ruined my life, I don't speak to any of my old friends because of you! You poisoned them against me! You're just a gold digging tramp! You are a total fucking whore!" he said. The word "whore" was loud enough for Kori to hear as she served drinks. Garfield stood up, his fists shaking with anger. He shot her a death glare and stalked off to go serve drinks. He kept thinking that this day could not get any worse.

---

She had only caught the last part what he said tot the blonde stranger, but Kori got the gist of it. She went over to the blonde woman who looked shocked at his words. She did that only thing she thought would be appropriate for the situation.

"Um begging of your pardon, but would you be wanting some beverage?" she asked, her accent came out sounding veryprominent. Terra looked up to her with a sneer.

"You speak to me again you tavern wench, and I'll call immigration on you foreign ass!" she hissed and then stormed out of the building. Kori looked hurt and then returned to serving drinks. She always had thought the best of people, but that encounter had somewhat damped Kori's outlook on life. She had never had a racist remark thrown at her.

---

Raven heard a noise near the back of the kitchen and slowly went over to the source of the noise, holding a spatula. A man with silvery, platinum blonde hair stood among some fallen pots. He looked sheepish.

"I must have been killed, I'm seeing an angel…with a spatula," he said is a smooth voice. Raven lowered the spatula and looked at him quizzically. She fought down a smile, what he said, combined with the situation was slightly funny.

"What are you doing back here?" she asked.

"Well I was trying to find the washroom, in all honesty. But I think I found something much better," with that he bowed and took her and kissed her finger tips, "What is your name?"

"My name is Raven Roth, and the bathroom is down the hall right beside the stage," she said, smiling at his charming attitude.

"What a beautiful name. My name is Coerce…Malcolm Coerce." He straightened up.

"Well Malcolm, can I get you a drink?" she asked, gesturing to the door leading to the bar.

"I would be honoured," he said, smiling.


	5. On my mind

* * *

Raven smiled, Malcolm was one of the nicest guys she had ever met. He was charming and courteous, not to mention good looking, truly a knight in shining armour. He had asked her for a date after they had met at the party, and she had eagerly accepted. 

It was three days later; Garfield had not been to the bar since that night. Raven found herself thinking about him every now and then. She simply dismissed these thoughts as sympathy for him; she knew what it was like to lose a parent.

"When the press asked what I was going to do about the blackbirds that were everywhere downtown, I simply said, 'Order a couple hundred busts of Pallas,'" Malcolm was saying, Raven laughed, she had learned he was one of the future candidates for the upcoming election.

"I bet that shut them up," she commented, sipping her tea. The two of them were sitting in a caf. She had tea and he, an Irish coffee. They had been talking for about two hours, swapping stories and laughing about business and friends. She felt very comfortable around him; he really seemed to understand her, something that never seemed to happen.

"It sure did, anyways tell me more about your co-workers, Kori and Victor," He took a sip, Raven smiled at his interest.

"Well, Kori is my obviously best friend. I met her during an exchange program at college. I stayed with her and her family, back in her native country. Her brother, Ryan and uncle, Galfore are very pleasant, but her sister…leaves much to be desired morally. When she came here, we stayed with my dad until circumstances beyond our control, after that we stayed in an apartment above an empty business. She officially got her American citizenship and stayed in the apartment with me. From there Azar's Pub was born. We decided to go into business one day, and were very successful. It was rather surprising." Malcolm nodded, listening intently.

"Victor," Raven continued, "came to work for us during the first week. He said he needed money for an apartment, we originally hired him as a waiter but Kori found out he could sing and he became entertainment as well," she told him. The entire time he had nodded in the right places and had seemed genuinely interested.

"Hmm, so what was the event that made you move out of you father's home?" he asked. Raven looked down into her half empty cup. This was something she had hoped to avoid.

"I'd rather not talk about it," she mumbled. Malcolm nodded and Raven looked out the window. Her head turned sharply when she thought she saw a blonde man walk down the sidewalk.

"What is it?" Malcolm asked her, following her gaze. Raven shook her head and turned back to her date. She saw him everywhere these days, and she did not know why. She assumed it was still sympathy, but even when you pity someone, you did not think about the person to the extent Raven found herself thinking about Garfield Logan.

"Nothing, I just thought I saw someone that I knew, that's all," Malcolm took a long drink from his coffee and then began to tell her the finer points of his campaign. Raven forcefully pushed Garfield from her mind and focused on what Malcolm was saying.

---

The man who was on Raven's mind was not the one who walked by the café, he was in fact in an intensive care hospital room, holding his mothers hand. He was sitting in between his parents separate beds, no one was talking, only silence that seemed as loud screaming.

There were even more beeping machines and monitors in this room. Marie looked ghostly pale. Mark sat in a separate bed, looking at his wife with bleary eyes. The doctors had said she only had a week at the most left. Garfield had been devastated when he heard this, but he heard Raven's words again, she had said that his parents loved him; he knew this was true, and he loved them. This time, no matter what he was not going to fall a part on them. He was going to make the best of the time they had left.

"Garfield, honey you don't have to be here, go back to your job and school. I'll be fine," Marie, said her voice barely a whisper. Garfield stroked his mother's hand softly. It hurt beyond words to see her like that; she was so fragile and pale.

"No, I'll stay by both yours and dad's sides. You were always there for me, I'll always be here for you," he said. He stopped stroking his mothers hand, reached across the gap between the beds, and grabbed his father's hand, "I promise."

"Oh Garfield…" his mother broke down in tears. A nurse came in but Mark waved her away. He had had enough nurses bustling about, all his life he had been independent and it was crushing to know he could not help himself of his beloved wife.

"What you mother means son is that we're thankful, and proud of you for being so strong. However, I was wondering…could you go out and get us some more of that cobbler? Ever since you brought it that day I have been craving it!" Mark laughed and Garfield smiled. He nodded and stood.

"I'll be right back with some dad," He waved goodbye and walked out of the room. He climbed into his car and maundered his way through traffic arriving at Azar's Pub in record time. He walked in and saw a few lunch patrons the place was empty; that was how Garfield liked it. He glanced around, Victor walking around with a tray of drinks. Kori popped her head out of the kitchen.

"Salutations friend Garfield!" her cheery voice half sang. Garfield smiled and walked over to the kitchen door. It was nice to be back in the warm, homey atmosphere of the small establishment. He watched Victor pick up his guitar and fiddle with the strings; a few girly giggles from Kori brought his attention back to the foreigner.

"Why are you so happy?" He knew it was a dumb thing to ask her, but she seemed more bubbly than usual. Her emerald eyes were shinning and she seemed to be floating across the old hardwood floor.

"Oh it is most wonderful. Richard has asked me out to a public assignation!" she said twirling on the spot, smiling.

"Public assignation? …you mean a date!" he laughed at her choice of words.

"Yeah Richie finally asked her, you shoulda been here man, he was stammering like a moron!" Victor laughed, and returned to tuning his guitar.

"I kind of wish I had been. Anyways Kori, can I get some cobbler to go? My parents would like some," he asked her. She nodded rapidly and danced off into the kitchen, he followed.

"Most certainly. It was made yesterday though. Raven took today off. She had a date!" Kori giggled. Garfield was surprised at the news but hid it best he could.

"Oh…hmm who was it with?" he asked, trying and succeeding in sounding casual. Kori did not look up from packaging the dessert when she spoke.

"Malcolm Coerce,"

"The candidate for mayor…wow," Garfield did not know why he felt a bit jealous. It was not as if he was going to ask her out himself, he reasoned. He picked up the boxes, paid Kori and left. He could not help from thinking about Raven all the way back to the hospital.

It was strange, Raven didn't seem the type to date, he mused. A sharp horn blast brought him back to the real world; he focused on the road and safely made it to the hospital. Taking a deep breath of regular air, he entered the bland, over air-conditioned world of the hospital.

"Hey sorry it isn't that fresh, Raven took the day off to go on a date so no new cobbler was made," he explained as his parents dug into the sweet treat. His mother eyed him carefully.

"Who with?" she asked. Her son looked up and answered without even thinking.

"Malcolm Coerce, the mayor candidate," He mother smiled a small secret smile. He looked at her, and she laughed.

"Are you jealous sweetie?" she asked. He shook his head.

"What of course not. Raven is my friend, sort of…I don't want to date her," he spluttered

"You talk about her a lot if you're just friends," commented his father. Garfield looked down at his hands, he felt like a confused teenager again, unsure of his feelings towards a girl. He had never even realized how much he talked about the dark haired waitress, but by the way his parents were looking at him, he knew he must mention her fairly often.


	6. A Painful Goodbye

* * *

His nose was pressed against the polished wood, it hurt slightly but he did not move his head. Opening his eyes he stared down into the wood, not really seeing it, his mind was circling around a thought that had plagued him for two days. 

What were his feelings towards Raven?

As hard as he tried, he could not come up with a right answer it seemed impossible. Every time he was positive they were only friends, but some small, restless part of his mind say there was something more. Something that had blossomed during the conversations they often had whenever he stayed late. He enjoyed their friendship, as odd as it was. They were almost opposites but had so much in common; he had never felt more at ease with anyone else, save for his parents.

What did it matter, he mused, she was with the Malcolm person anyways. He sighed inwardly and prayed his drink would come faster; conscious thought was getting to be a hindrance.

His head rose upon hearing the familiar chink of glass hitting wood, his refill was here, now hopefully he could drown the pestering thought. He knew it was only a temporary solution, but any escape from the pain and confusion of his life's current state was welcome.

"Son of a bitch," He heard Raven hiss as the door opened and in came a rather large and rowdy crowd. She placed down the glass she was cleaning and glanced towards the kitchen. Garfield followed her gaze; he knew she was wishing Kori were there to help with the group of thirty or so people.

However much Raven's misfortune, Kori was on her long awaited, much anticipated date with Richard, and would not be back until later that night. He smiled at the remembrance of her beaming face as Richard picked her up. Richard had tried to act aloof but his smile and eyes betrayed how he really felt.

"Hey Gar…" She asked quietly, he knew what she was going to ask but waited for her to finish, "would you mind helping me out?" Raven gestured to the crowded room. He knew she hated crowds, something about them made her edgy and tense.

"No problem Raven, I'd be happy to," Smiling he stood and went into the kitchen to grab a notepad and a serving tray. He returned to the bar and began circulating among the people, out of the corner of his eye he saw Raven doing the same thing. Victor had been a no show that night, so it was just him and Raven.

"Yeah two margaritas and a scotch on the rocks with a twist…" a man was saying. Jotting down the order, he made his way among the milling party. Raven was over at the bar pouring drinks as fast as she could, her hair kept falling into her face, and Garfield couldn't help himself from thinking of how pretty she looked. It was not until she had gone back to serving did he remember his job.

His cell phone was ringing…excusing himself from the group that was ordering, he turned and answered it, swearing that if it were a telemarketer that he would lose it. He did not need any more conversation with annoying self-important people.

"Hello?" he said a certain amount of urgency in his voice.

"Mr. Garfield Logan…son of Mark and Marie Logan, patients at Jump City hospital?" a cold male voice asked.

"Yeah…this is him. Can I help you?" the moment his parent's names were mentioned, aicy chill went down his spine.

"Mrs. Marie Logan's Doctor requests that you come down to the hospital. His patient is dying and has asked to see her relation." Something inside Garfield snapped.

"I'm not her _relation_, I'm her SON!" he yelled into the phone. A few people turned to stare at him.

"Have a good night sir," there was a click then silence. Garfield wished that it had been a telemarketer. He placed his tray down onto the table and weaved his way through the crowd to find Raven. Upon finding her, he quickly explained what was wrong, and asked if he could leave. Raven gave him a look of understanding.

"Okay hold on a second." she made her way over to the light panel and flicked off the switch. The roof went pitch black.

"Hey what the hell?" yelled a male voice. Raven cleared her throat.

"Excuse me, but Azar's Pub is now closed, please pay your bills and take your business else where," He voice held a no-nonsense tone to it. Quickly the room emptied, the next thing he knew, Garfield was being handed his coat and dragged out of the building by Raven. She paused to lock the door then led him to her car.

The entire time Garfield had forgotten how to use his vocal chords; he had been too surprised at Raven's actions. She spoke first.

"Are you alright?" Her face was expressionless, but her eyes betrayed her feelings of worry and pain for him. She seemed aware of this because she kept her eye glued to the road ahead.

"No, I don't think I will ever be." She nodded with an understanding he knew no one else truly could have.

"You will, it is hard but you will." Her voice was its usual monotone, but her words still possessed some feeling.

"Why did you close down Azar's? I could have stayed," Garfield felt that if he did not keep talking, he would exploded with the over whelming grief that was washing over him. Her eyes glazed over with a haunted, scared look. He had only seen this the first time she had given him advice on his parents, that time she had brought up her own mother.

"I have never told anyone this, besides Kori. You know, I fought with my mother one night and she ran away. It was something that she did often; the police even told me that they were going to wait longer than the forty-eight hour rule. When she was found dead, I had to go and identify the body at the morgue. No one was there for me, not even my dad. I can remember feeling so completely alone, and I did not want you to feel that way. When I was there it was like I was drowning, I could hardly breathe, and I just kept wishing someone was there to help me stand, to tell me I could get through this." She spoke softly, but he caught every heartbreaking, painful word.

"Thanks Rae," he said. He reached over and squeezed her hand, she squeezed back as they took the turn into the hospital parking lot. They both got out and made their way to the front entrance. Garfield's feet felt as if they were made from lead, if Raven had not been there to guide him, he knew he would have collapsed.

The bright hospital lights blinded him, and he suppressed a gag at the sharp scent of Lysol and sickness. Together they maundered through the halls until Garfield met up with a man who had just the shadow of a black eye remaining.

"Mr Logan, nice to see you. Pleasant evening isn't it?" asked the doctor.

"Like hell it is. What is wrong with my mother?" asked Garfield through clenched teeth. The doctor looked down at his clipboard with the air of one to busy for such small tasks.

"Ah yes, she is in her room. However you can't see her, I'm afraid her condition is too frail for visitors," Garfield just stared at him in disbelief.

"Excuse me, Doctor," interrupted Raven, not pleased with how badly Garfield was being treated, "Mr. Logan received a rather rude phone call about his mother. Apparently she requested to see him,"

The doctor glanced at her and his upper lip curled slightly at her ruffled appearance. She realized she was wearing her monogrammed "Azar's Pub" button up blouse. She met his glance with and icy glare.

"Yes she did, however, I'm not admitting visitors, she simply can not see-" a fist slamming hard into his nose with a resounding crack cut him off. The man staggered backwards and collapsed against the wall.

"Let me see my mother. I don't care what you say, she wants to see me and I want to see her, and no dip shit doctor is going to fucking stop me," His voice was calm, but his words were laced with white hot rage. The doctor raised his hand and pointed down the hall, telling a nurse to let them into the room.

As the white uniformed woman lead them do the hall she congratulated Garfield on punching that doctor, saying that he was a womanising jerk who had the worst bedside manor possible. The two friends really did not care.

Garfield could not believe he had just punched that man for the second time. He kept staring straight a head, leaning slightly on Raven.

"Gar!" said two voices in unison at their entrance. Garfield rushed forward and hugged the thin, frail woman gently. Tears were flowing from her eyes as she returned the hug as best she could with all the IVs and tubes in her arms. Raven stood by the door, not wanting to intrude on the moment.

"Honey who is you friend?" asked his mother, her voice barely a whisper. Garfield smiled and hugged her again.

"This is Raven Roth," he said, Garfield's father laughed and held his hand out to shake it. Raven shook it with a warm smile.

"So this is the famous Raven, nice to meet you," he said Raven sat down on a chair near the beds and listened to the cheerful chatter. She had never seen Garfield so happy, and she understood why. His parents were the lights of his life, they were so close.

They had been there half the night, Raven felt herself become well acquainted with the Logan's and had enjoyed all the embarrassing stories about Garfield that had made the him go crimson. A few hours ago, she had called Kori and told her and Richard where they were. Kori gave her condolences same as Richard.

Marie quietly lay her head down on the pillow and the room went silent. Garfield looked down at her, his eyes brimming with tears, his father was already crying.

"Thank you for being here Gar, honey. Thank you coming and saying goodbye. Thank you Raven, for helping my son out, I owe you so much," Raven looked on, her eyes were also brimming with unshed tears.

"Mark, I love you. I always have and I always will. I just wish you could hold me one last time…" her voice trailed off. Garfield looked at Raven and she nodded. She grabbed the base of his father's bed and Garfield grasped the upper edge. Together they pushed and pulled the beds together.

Mark moved over best he could and held his wife, wrapping his loving arms around her.

"Thank you so much. I love you, Garfield, make me proud," she held up a trembling hand and grasped his. Garfield was silently crying, as he felt his mother's grip loosen as she took her last quiet breath. They remained there for about half an hour, Garfield sitting on the edge of the bed, holding his mothers hand, and his father holding the woman he loved close. Raven was crying she knew these were good, honest people who didn't deserve this.

In his head, Garfield could hear Victor's song;

I don't want to let go,  
but we're just part of a bigger plan.  
Just please, wait for my good-bye,  
If only, let me say good-bye,  
Wait for my good-bye…"

She had waited, and he had given her a last good bye.

_"Wait for my Good-bye;  
I still have to say I love you…"_


	7. Holding on

* * *

With everything that had happened, he was holding out fairly well. His dad and him would have long talks, mostly about death and such matters. Even though he was slowly, but steadily getting over this tragedy, Mark seemed to have lost his will to live. Everyday he looked paler, and sadder. It was tearing Garfield apart to see his once strong and beaming father brought down so cruelly. 

Oft times he would walk into the hospital room to see Mark staring at the ceiling, tears in his eyes; he still refused to cry in front of is son. Garfield began to wonder if he should transfer his father from Jump City hospital over to New York City hospital. The drive into the neighbouring city wasn't too long, only about half an hour, but Garfield just wanted to be able to get there at a moments notice. Mark wouldn't hear of it. Garfield had been born in this hospital and Marie had died in it, and he was going to stay, his father argued. On some level, Garfield agreed with him.

Garfield tried to be strong for the both of them, but the strain was beginning to show. Dark circles were thick under his eyes, eyes that were so much like his mothers. His thick blonde hair was greasy and unkempt.

However, his true safety line in the storm that his life had become was Raven. She was always ready to listen. Sometimes he would talk for hours on end and she would just listen, nodding in the right places and patting his arm reassuringly. It was amazingly comforting. Slowly he was beginning to realize he did feel something for the dark haired beauty. He would find his mind replaying that dance they had shared.

Sipping his beer, he sat talking with Victor about the upcoming election. Posters and advertisements were everywhere. Both parties were trying to drag up old scandals and making the usual promises. So far, Garfield was undecided. Malcolm Coerce seemed to be a sound choice but the other, Anton Vex made good points about homelessness. Raven subtly hinted a few times at him to vote for Malcolm. He was actually considering to, just for her.

"Vex seems to have the most scandals though, I mean how can we trust someone who has lied to many times…" Victor was saying. Garfield nodded and reached for his glass.

The door chimes tingled as someone entered. The bar patron did not even turn around; he was busy draining his cup. Even though he was recovering from his mother's death, he still liked to escape from all the painful memories. Alcohol was fast becoming a big help to him.

"Malcolm!" he heard Raven exclaim in surprise. This made him turn, just in time to see Raven hugging a platinum blonde twenty something year old. He felt a slight, barely recognisable pang of jealousy. Victor was looking at Raven's beau as well. Kori on the other hand was talking with Richard.

"Victor, Gar, I'd like you to meet Malcolm," Raven introduced, bringing the mayor candidate over. Victor shook his hand, a warm smile on his face. Malcolm merely nodded his head in response to the entertainer's grin.

"Hello, pleased to meet you," Garfield held out his hand, giving the politician the most charming smile he could. Malcolm lightly shook the beaming blonde's hand. Something in his icy cold eyes told Garfield that the tall man in front of him looked down upon them all. It unnerved him slightly, that cold look, but he brushed it off. This man made Raven happy, so he must be a good person, Garfield trusted Raven's judgement.

After the mandatory awkward silence after an introduction to a friend's suitor, Raven went and introduced Kori and Richard. Garfield watched them over the rim of his glass. Kori and Richard got the same reaction as he and Victor had gotten. Kori had not seemed to notice, she was busy chatting up a storm to the newcomer, and Richard was looking at Malcolm with cold steely eyes.

While Kori chattered on and on, Richard felt his mind wander back to the dark place that he had been visiting for weeks. Each time the visits were longer; the crimes and deaths played in his head in and endless loop, every time he thought of someone he could not save, he felt as if he was inadequate and useless. That he didn't have the right to live. Basically, it was eating him alive; suicide was always at the back of his mind. A little voice kept telling him it was the only way, and that voice was getting louder all the time. He began to contemplate it often, at least once a week.

When he was driving to Kori's to pick her up for their date, he had begun considering driving off a bridge or into the lane on oncoming traffic. Thankfully he had not acted upon those thoughts, the thought of being with Kori overpowered nearly every thought he had. Richard was glad for Kori; she made him feel happy again, she stopped the cycle of horror in his head. Their date had been one of the best events in his life. He had asked out again later that week.

The young cop stood and walked over the Victor and Garfield, setting himself down on a stool beside them.

"He seems okay," muttered Victor, he took a gulp of water. Richard watched Malcolm for a moment, than spoke quietly.

"No, something about him, he acts as if…"

"…as if he thinks he is better than us," Garfield finished Richards sentence, the other two men nodded. Malcolm was laughing with the girls, all smile and charm. Garfield had never seen Raven smile like that; she looked stunning, too beautiful for words. He wondered if he could actually ever tell her how he felt.

Victor caught Garfield's look and smiled. Standing up he moved his muscular frame over to the stage and picked up his guitar. Slowly he began to play the very song Garfield and Raven had danced to. A smile crept over his face as he saw Garfield look at him with wide eyes.

"What the hell?" Murmured Garfield, he looked over to the singer, one eyebrow raised. Victor nodded at him the jerk his head towards Raven. Garfield shook his head, but victor simply repeated the motion with his head.

Sighing Garfield stood and brushed himself off. Moving deliberately he went over to Raven and gently touched her arm. Jumping slightly and then smiling at him Garfield motioned to the dance floor. It was then did Raven realize what song was playing.

Allowing her best customer to lead her out onto the floor, without a word she placed her hands on his shoulders and felt his hands on her waist. A warm safe feeling washed over her and she placed her head on his chest. His heartbeat was faster than normal but still soothing and peaceful. She closed her eyes and let a soft, peaceful smile grace her face.

Smiling he held Raven close, knowing that her boyfriend was watching, that the whole pub was watching. He did not care. He would trade his very life for the feeling that being this close to her gave him. Guiding her gently in a circle, he looked up at Malcolm, who was staring at them, a resentful look in his eyes. Dropping his gaze, he continued to dance.

Finally getting over the shock of seeing Raven dancing with Garfield, Malcolm forced himself to keep cool and composed, despite the hot waves of jealousy that were washing over him. He walked out onto the dance floor with even strides. Gently he tapped Garfield's shoulder. Turning to see Malcolm, Garfield unconsciously held Raven tighter.

"May I cut in?" asked Malcolm, a charming smile on his face. Realizing he had no choice but to comply, he left go of Raven, who almost seemed reluctant to leave his arms. Malcolm slowly began to dance with Raven as Garfield went to his stool and grabbed his coat. He bade everyone a cheery goodbye and left.

He began to walk towards the subway. A few nights ago, some asshole had broken into his car and destroyed it. Now he was forced to take the subway until the automotive shop had fixed is transportation.

As always the smell was disgusting, making his way over to the automatic ticket dispenser he bought a ticket and went to stand near a support column. People milled about, and he watched them. Many were business folk, trying to make money to see if they could fill a gap in their lives. Some looked down on their luck and the business people were carefully avoiding them.

"I wonder if they know that they are more of a danger to themselves than a stranger ever could be?" he mumbled to himself. Of course they didn't, they were too preoccupied with making sure that they could walk all over people to get what they wanted. Knowing that every one of them would be their own downfall, Garfield looked away.

The train lit up the tunnel and hissed to a stop. Moving with the crowd, Garfield got on, staying near the door. No one was more grateful than he was when the train had reached his stop. As quickly as he could he got out of the underground.

Walking through the street, he stopped at a grocery store. The irritating music filling the store Garfield went to the dairy aisle and grabbed a carton of milk. He also grabbed some coffee but put it back after a few moments of thought; he liked the coffee at Azar's better.

Walking the rest of the way to his apartment, all his thoughts were on his dance, and how comforted he had felt. His key scraped him the lock as the dead bolts on the other side slid back. Placing the milk in his fridge, he took out a beer and flopped down onto his couch, letting out a long sigh.

It was only then did he notice his answering machine had a message. He stood and checked the call display. It read:

**Jump City Hospital**.


	8. Fear

"Dad…" His voice hung in the air as the glowing green call display blurred in front of his eyes. He gave his head a shake, telling himself to be strong and thinking of Raven. This couldn't be happening; he kept trying to tell himself that his father was okay, that it was just an insurance problem. Nothing could deter him from the thought that his father was gone.

His breath was in small gasps as his hand hovered over the machine. Half of his mind told him to push the button and find out what happened, the other -weaker- half told him to ignore the message, and remain in denial about his father.

After a few moments, he was able to push the tiny red button on the playback.

"Message one." the machines disembodied voice was too loud in Garfield's head. There was a loud beep and a second of silence.

"…Mr. Garfield Logan, this is Jump City hospital. This call is regarding your father…"

---

"Rich! Glad you're here. Listen I need to borrow your car. There is an emergency at the hospital!" His words came out through gasps for air. He had run all the way from the upper part of town to the core, back to Azar's. He had planned to borrow Raven's car, but she was preoccupied with Malcolm.

Upon seeing her smile and kiss the electoral candidate, he felt a wave of jealously override the feelings of worry and anxiety for his father.

"Yeah of course," Richard quickly handed Garfield the keys, worry filling his face. Saying thank you Garfield turned and ran outside.

He fumbled with the keys, and after a struggle, he managed to start the car. Before he left the parking lot he took a deep breath, the last he needed now was to get in an accident.

The whole drive was a blur right up to walking through the hospital doors. A nurse led him to the intensive care unit, explaining everything about his father's cardiac arrest. He tried to pay attention but after he heard the words, "may not make it" all his thoughts were on his father.

"He should be fine; however, there is the chance he might not make it through the night. You can go see him if you want." She motioned towards the door. Garfield nodded to her and walked into the brightly lit, beeping room. His father was hooked up to more machines than ever, but he managed to smile when he saw his son.

"Hey, Dad," Garfield gave his father a hug, tears stinging in his eyes. When he pulled away, he saw tears in his father's eyes as well.

"I'm sorry for the scare you must have had," Mark took a deep breath, and hugged his son again.

"Dad, its okay I was so worried…how are you feeling?" Garfield was surprised by the tightness of his father's hug.

"I'm fine," Mark paused, then looked his son square in the eyes, "I know how hard this is, but I need you too do something, I'm in danger of slipping into a coma, I know that nurse told you. Listen, I love you with all my heart and if Marie was still alive my decision would be different…but if I go under, I want you to pull the plug…" his voice broke, as well as his resolve not to cry in front of his son.

Garfield looked at his kind, and loving father, who had tears rolling down his face. Slowly he nodded.

"I understand Dad. It's okay…I will get by. You and Mom…you were the best, and always will be. It really isn't fair that you are in such pain because some dumb jerk was driving drunk," Even though as he said those words, a part of him died, then and there. His father wanted to die, and Garfield knew it was because of his mother. Nothing was going to ever be the same.

"Thank you son, I love you," More tears fell.

Later that evening after listening to his father and sharing memories, he left, feeling a hollow ache at his father's decision but a sense of calmness, knowing his father did love him, and had made the best decision. Mark would always need help living, and it would be almost to hard for him with the woman he loved so much gone. There was also pride to know his father loved his mother so much as to follow her to the afterlife.

"I hope…," he whispered as he unlocked Richard's car, "that I can be with someone and that I'll love them just as much."

---

Richard left half an hour after Garfield borrowed his car. Police sirens were wailing, but for once, he wasn't thinking about all the people he couldn't save. He was remembering his parents. The Flying Graysons…he had very few memories of his parents and the circus; the most vivid was watching his parents fall.

The little voice was back, and it was making sense. Telling him it would be better if he was dead. He knew it was right. He was a bad cop, and a worse person. He knew Kori had just gone out with him, just because they were friends. A cold feeling filled his chest as he resolved to end this pain…for good.

---

She waved good-bye to Malcolm and blew him a kiss. It was late and she had finally closed up for the night. As much as she loved Malcolm coming by to talk what she had found after Garfield had left the first time, that she had trouble thinking about anything other than her blonde friend.

When he had run in she had hoped he would have stayed for a beer but he left after grabbing Richard's keys. It worried her, the only way Garfield would have borrowed someone car a ten at night could only have to do with his father.

Tears filled her eyes at the memory of that night, when she had watched Garfield say his final goodbye to his mother.

Raven sighed, as much fun as it was dancing with Malcolm, in her heart it was her and Garfield's song. Wait, she thought, never mind that, that makes it sound like I like him and I don't…do I?

Grabbing a copy of the paper she began to read, trying to get Garfield off her mind. The was a small article on the front page that caught her eye. Slowly as she read, the words coming out as a whisper, her eyes widened.

"**Crime Lord to Return to City**. Tyler Gordon Roth, a convicted crime lord has been released from jail and is to return to New York. Roth is said to have family in the tri-city area, but many officials feel his return may have something to do with the upcoming election. This theory is due to Roth's involvements with three large scale monetary scandals involving three separate elections…"

Raven dropped the paper, her face pale. Her mind had stopped on the fact he was coming back.

"Kori!" She yelled grabbing the paper from the floor, running to her friend's room. She burst through the door, interrupting Kori's romance movie fest.

"Raven? What is the matter, you look rather pale." Kori paused the movie, the television casting a cold glow on her complexion. Her eyes usually laughing and smiling were filled with worry as she looked at Raven, standing framed in the doorway, struggling to breathe normally.

Raven tossed the paper to her; Kori scanned it, her green eyes wide.

"Raven…no. He won't come looking for you," Kori said, reassuringly.

"I'm the only family he has left…." Tears formed in Raven's eyes. Kori look sympathetic, she knew how hard it must be for Raven.

"Dear Raven, it is okay, he is probably going to see some of his 'roadies'," Kori did not believe what she was saying anymore the Raven did.

Raven smiled, "the term is 'flunkies', Kori." Kori smiled, and tossed Raven a pillow. Together they watched six more hours of movies, including, _Sleepless in Seattle_ twice. They both fell asleep in the early morning on Kori's bed.

---

Garfield parked the underground parkade under Richard's apartment building. The car beeped twice, telling Garfield that the alarm was set, for a moment he thought the headlights looked like they were blinking when they flashed. He made his way up the stairs, mentally counting them. By the time, he reached thirty-nine he was outside Richard's door. There was no noise from inside. Using the keys, Garfield opened the door.

"Richard!" He called. The apartment was quiet. Garfield saw a note taped to a small table near the door. He pulled off the tape and unfolded it. In the dim light, it was hard to read Richard's thin cursive.

Everyone,  
I am sorry, it was just too hard. I know everything is my fault.  
I hope that you can forgive me though I do not deserve it.  
Bruce, I am sorry I disappointed you.  
Love Richard.

"Oh my god!" He dropped the paper and yelled for his friend, his voice sounded far away from his body, "Richard! Richard answer me!" He had never been this afraid since he got the call about his parent's auto accident.

He ran into the living room sliding on the granite flooring. He saw Richard standing five feet away holding a gun to his head. Turning and looking at Garfield he had tears running down his face as he mouthed "sorry". Garfield only saw Richard begin to shut his eyes before he ran forward and tackled Richard to the ground. The gun flew out of its owner's hands and landed about a foot away.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Richard yelled shoving Garfield away.

"Dude, what the fuck am I doing? What the fuck are YOU doing?" Garfield yelled. His elbow hurt where he hand landed on it.

"You're ruining it. Don't you see, the world would be better if I wasn't alive!" Richard had more tears falling down his face. He knelt down and picked up the gun.

"Richard, no. Put down the gun," Garfield's voice was laced with fear. He took a step forward.

"No, It's the only way…I have to do this," He stepped away and closed his eyes, bringing the gun back to his temple. Tear streaked his cheeks.

"No!"

"I'm sorry," Richard whispered.


	9. Tears and Laughter

* * *

He moved without thinking, it seemed he did a lot of that lately; this time however, it was to save a life. Everything had the surreal quality of moving super slow, the only other sensation he remembered before hitting the floor was his fist smashing into Richard's nose. There was a soft sounding crunch of cartilage then no sound what so ever. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw the gun fall and slide under the sofa. The ground should have hurt, knocked the wind out of him at least, but it was like watching from across the room. 

Richard at first too stunned to fight back finally realized he was being attacked and hit Garfield hard in the stomach, Garfield knew the wind had been knocked out of him again but did not feel it. He smashed Richard in the solar plexus and then in the jaw. The combination of hits finished any fight in Rich. He had been fighting his own mind and the small part of him that wanted to live all evening; he was in no condition -mentally- to fight anymore. Garfield stood up grabbed Richards arm -tearing the green and yellow shirt his friend was wearing in the process- and dragged him into the kitchen propping him on a chair.

Everything seemed to speed up, and sound returned a few decibels too loud. Blood rushed from Richard's nose and stained his shirt, although his nose didn't appear to be broken. He shook his head and opened his eyes slightly wider than slits. Garfield knelt so he was eye level with the sitting man.

"Dude, are you okay?" It was the first question that freed itself from the jumble inside his head. His voice was shaking and sounded hollow and tinny. Richard looked at him, his eyes half closed. He bore the expression of someone who had given up on everything.

"No. You saved me…I didn't want to be saved," there was no purpose in his voice; it was just a quiet, sad whisper. Garfield tried to get his breathing under control, but with everything having resumed normal speed, that fact he had been punched hard in the stomach had caught up with him.

"Rich, please listen to me…people care about you they really do," Garfield felt tears burning in the corners of his eyes and his nose, "I care and I don't want to lose anyone right now, I know I can't and I know that if you had gone through with…your suicide…that…" The tears were scalding his eyes as he fought them back.

"That everyone would be happier," Richards voice was stronger now, as if he had just realized that he hadn't succeeded, "You had to ruin it…I don't care if you can stand to lose anyone right now! At least you grew up with your parents, you heard them say that they loved all your life, you didn't have to grow up in the shadow of Bruce Wayne!" Anger flooded his face, as he stood, looking slightly down at Garfield, being a good four inches taller.

That was it, the tears came, hot angry tears. His sadness and hurt at the fact his father was choosing death over life, his anger at everything that had happened; his jealously over Malcolm, his hatred of the man responsible for a head on collision into his parent's car. Before he knew what he was doing, he grabbed Richard and by some physical anomaly, he picked the cop up and shoved him against a wall holding him there by his shoulders.

"Listen to me! Your parents died, it hurts I know, I god damn fucking know it hurts, but if you go through with this your going to hurt everyone; Raven, Victor, Bruce, me and most definitely Kori. It would crush her, and you know what," He pushed Richard into the wall hard, lifting him up slightly as he did, "that would actually make you a bad person. That would make you a horrible, fucking person!"

Richard held his gaze for a moment them looked down. Slowly Garfield let go of him, the rage and pain had gone. He was breathing heavy, from the fight, the break down and the effort in holding up a well-muscled one hundred and fifty-six pound cop. Rich looked over his shoulder at the door, the table, the stove… the entrance to the living room that was originally supposed to be redecorated with the contents of his skull; anywhere but at Garfield.

"Wanna a drink?" he asked finally. Garfield had never wanted one more. For the rest of the night they sat in Richard kitchen, the gun forgotten among the dust bunnies, a note lying face down by the door, the blood spots drying on the floor and Richard's shirt, and drank two full bottles of whiskey, barley diluting it with coke. Few words were said, but a bond was created.

---

The phone rang fives times then the machine picked up.

"Yo! This is Vic, not here right now; I'm building a robot in my room right now. Please leave a message and I will try to get back to you as soon as possible.

"Aw crap," he muttered, he hated that message, he had told himself to change it eighty times. He sounded tired and he was, he had spent half the night on the internet trying to find a place for his garage.

"Victor…it's Karen, I'm back in town and I was wondering if I could stay with you. My boyfriend…he did some damage and I could really use some help. Please, I know we're not that close of friends anymore but I really need someone…" her voice broke.

Victor literally leapt at the phone knocking over the stand. His hand grabbed the phone in a death grip and he slammed it against his ear wincing at the crack of hard plastic hitting his jaw.

"Karen?" silence then he heard a sign of relief.

"Hey Vic…"

---

Raven awoke with light streaming in the pink blinds. She looked over at the cat clock on the wall, it was after ten. She sighed; thankful they did not open until noon on Sundays, and closed early too. Stretching she stood and walked out of the room, rubbing her arm where the blanket had indented it. She didn't even move when the phone range, her arm shot out and she just grabbed it without a thought.

"Hello?" She sounded sleep clogged; she hoped it wasn't as noticeable to the caller.

"Hey Raven, it's me, Malcolm."

"Hey," she replied smiling at the sound of his smooth voice.

"Listen I have a question, what was you father and mother's names?" It was an innocent question and Raven's mind barley registered it. It was not as if that was personal information that her boyfriend should not know.

"Arella and Tyler Roth,"

"I thought so. Listen to me. I'm not sure if you know, but your father is coming back into town…and…I don't think we can see each other anymore. I really care about you, but I cannot afford to have a scandal and with your family, I know my rival will milk your relationships with your father and me for all it is worth in the polls. I'm sorry,"

The only think that fully hit Raven was, "I don't think we can see each other anymore." It was like a knife straight through the heart.

"No, Malcolm…I don't speak to my father, he disowned me. He won't have anything to do with you. I promise," Her voice sounded scared. This could not be happening. Her father had once again wrecked part of her life. She didn't even hear the kettle whistle of the tinkle of glass breaking in a car crash halfway down the block, she could hear her own heart beat and it was ripped in half.

"I can't okay. My advisors are right, disowned or not if the press hears about this, I'm screwed. I'm sorry Raven, and for what's it worth I loved you," He sounded sad, but due to the phone, she couldn't be sure.

" you…'loved' me?" Tears fell down her face as she collapsed to her knees. The was a click and then silence. That was it, her first relationship in four years was over, gone destroyed all by her father. The phone fell to the ground with a crash as a sleepy Kori wandered into the kitchen. Her face was marked with lines from the pillow.

"Raven…what is the matter, why is the phone's battery case open and the batteries on the floor…Raven!" Kori knelt down and gently wiped away Raven's tears with her thumb. It took a lot to make Raven cry and she could only assume it had something to do with Malcolm. Quietly the led Raven to her room allowing her time to scream into a pillow and cry.

Raven cried for two hours, over her broken heart and how her father had wrecked her life again. She actually thought she was in love with Malcolm and it hurt that he could just pick up the phone and do that. She ended up crying herself into an uneasy sleep.

---

Slowly Garfield raised his head from the table; there was a half-full glass in front of him. There was a strange silence to the apartment, and Garfield had a fleeting but effectively horrific thought that maybe Richard had woken and gone through with killing himself. However, his eyes focused and he saw dark hair, indicating Richard was face down on the table sleeping.

Richard made an incoherent noise and shifted his head slightly. Garfield picked up the glass and finished it off. It tasted strange but he liked the warmth that came from it. He stood and went to the door, he picked up the note placed it on the table.

He walked into the living room and he remembered the terror of the night before as he watched one of his few friends hold a gun to his head.

Bending down he grabbed the gun and emptied it, pocketing the shells. They had a creepy macabre weight to them and he fought back the urge to drop them out the window. He strolled back into the kitchen and placed the gun beside the note. Richard had to deal with them when he woke up.

"Richard…?" Richard groaned and sat up, leaning back only to have the head rush of even blinking throb in his head, "nnnnng pain."

"Dude wake up,"

"Huh?" Richard sat up so fast he fell over backwards with an almighty crash.

"Oh my god! Rich are you okay?" Garfield stood and ran around the table to see Richard rubbing his head with a grimace.

"Ouch," His face was still caked with blood; his shirtfront starched a blackish red. He took Garfield's hand and stood, looking at his reflection in the microwave door, "I look like shit," he laughed, unable to control himself Garfield laughed too, it felt good to laugh this hard, and it was like there was everything was perfect. They could not stop for a long time, but when they did, they took one look at

each other's faces and started all over again.

* * *

By the way: Raichard's reaction is actully a normal reaction to a sucide failure. Trust me. 


	10. Help

Author's notes: Hey. I was inspired to write a chapter that was a bit lighter than the others. I know the whole "abusive boyfriend" story arc is played out almost patheticly on this site, I felt it suited the flow of the story and how I wanted to include Victor in the story. I'll have you know that I'm not a "CyBee", so there won't be a romantic relationship between them. Sorry "CyBee" fans.

* * *

He stood in the doorway of the restaurant, looking for her. He realized how stupid he was being, he had not seen her in eight years, and she probably looked different from his memory's picture. He stood their waiting, hoping she would recognise him

"Victor…"it was a quiet voice, not like her strong one that had yelled, "pants-ed you!" twice a week when they were teens. He turned and saw the face that had been preserved in his minds eye. Her brown eyes and smooth complexion had not changed; the only thing that had changed was the fire, the independence, the fighting spirit that had always been present in her eyes. Now she seemed lost and scared.

"Karen…" he smiled and held out the two white irises he had picked out for her. Gently with her hands, she took them, her fingers running along the petals. Her arm had a few bruises, some old, some new; mostly around her upper arm.

"Thank you, let's get a table," she kept her head down, but he noticed the black eye. He noticed she carried herself as if she had a few broken ribs. Her red t-shirt had creases in it, as if she had just thrown in a suitcase overnight, same with her blue jeans. He wondered how far she had driven, or bussed to get into the city.

They sat down as she kept tracing the outline of the petals with one slender finger. He waited for her to speak. The waiter came and went after Victor waved him way, his eyes never leaving his childhood friend. After a moment, the silence was too much for him.

"Karen, what's wrong…please-" she cut him off, her voice still soft and unlike the one he remembered.

"Darrel, my boyfriend…he hit me. He did that a lot, if I didn't do what he wanted, or w-wear what he picked out, or if I didn't…sleep with him" Tears pooled in her eyes as she looked anywhere but his face. He heard her voice waver as she took a deep breath, "I ran away once but I went back, I was scared, he said he would kill me…I was so stupid, so s-stupid," she began to cry, the tears falling off her cheeks and onto her lap. Reaching over Victor wiped away the tears with a cloth napkin.

"It's okay, I'll protect you. I wish you had called me sooner," He said soothingly.

"I tried but every time I picked up the phone it was too hard to push the little buttons, I kept thinking about how you would think it was my fault and how I had to fix it myself," He was about to interject, saying that he would never think that, let a lone say it when she took a shuddering breath, "White irises mean purity, I'm not pure, not anymore…"

" 'Not pure' what do you mean?" he was startled by the defeat in her voice. She looked up at him, her dark eyes pleading him for help, for some salvation.

"Victor…I'm…p-pregnant," She may as well have shot him, for the reaction. He was stunned but managed to hide it. He wanted to hug her, tell her it was going to be okay, but he just sat across a table from her, slowly, he reached over and grabbed her hand in him.

"When are you due?" He asked, she sighed.

"I just found out a few days ago, I was 'late' and went to the doctor… that's why I left, I want to have my baby, I want to be…safe" she whispered that last word, as if it was forbidden.

"Stay with me, I have a good job, I'll help you until you can get back on your feet. Even if it takes years," She looked at him as if unable to believe him. He smiled hoping that she would accept. Slowly she nodded and looked down at the flowers. She was embarrassed to be asking for help, he realized, but he knew she was grateful.

---

Garfield walked beside Richard, who has finally agreed to come to the pub. He paused with his hand on the door and looked at his friend.

"You ready?" Richard nodded. He had called a counsellors office and set up an appointment for next week, until then he had been advised to stay with the company of friends. He still was not fond of the idea of telling them what was going on, but he realized Garfield was right, they were his friends, and if they could not help him, then no one could.

"Yeah, c'mon, Kori will have the cobbler ready," Reaching past Garfield, he pushed the door open. They entered Richard went straight to the bar to talk to Kori, but she dodged him with a polite, "in a minute" and grabbed Garfield's right arm.

"Friend Garfield, please, go up and see Raven. She is in the need of a friend but I have to keep Azar's open. Please," She spoke with such urgency and her grip on his arm was so strong that he just nodded. When he saw Kori give Richard a hug; he made his was the kitchen then up the stairs.

Soft sobbing was coming from Raven's room. Worried he knocked, there was a small scuffle then a tear-filled voice answered.

"Go away," Raven croaked. Garfield opened the door anyways, praying a heavy book would not be flying at him. The room was purple and blue; it really seemed to suit her. Quiet, peaceful yet sad and lonely.

Books lined the shelves, and he noticed there were few pictures, only one of her and Kori, the rest were strange abstract paintings and a copy of _The Scream. _

Her back was too him; quietly he walked over and knelt down beside her bed. He leaned against her mattress and softly blew air onto the back of her neck. She rolled over and saw that he was eye to eye with him. She made a strange incoherent noise and rolled back over.

"Hey Rae, what's the matter?" he asked quietly, she did not move or respond. Slowly he climbed onto her bed and lay down on top of the covers beside her. Her bed was soft and he felt himself become very sleepy as he lay there.

Finally, she rolled over and buried her face in his chest; he wrapped his arms around her. He could feel her tears soaking through the fabric of his shirt and hear her sobbing.

"H-he b-broke up-p w-with me," he barley heard the last word before she began to cry even harder. He just stared at the ceiling holding her. He kept trying to think of something to say but he could not; the fact he was laying in bed with Raven while she had her face buried in his chest had stalled his brain. That and he knew that whatever he said wouldn't cheer her up, not after having her heart broken.

"Well then he is a total fucking moron," It was the only thing he could think of and it came out sounding squeaky and high-pitched. He heard Raven hic-cup a small laugh. He smiled and began to stroke her hair. She continued to cry and hug him very tightly but Garfield knew he had made he feel slightly better, that was the only thing he could have asked for.

---

Kori flipped the signed to closed and locked the door, Richard was behind the bar helping himself to some bourbon shots.

"Come Richard, you can stay in the guest room tonight, I am forbidding you to be home alone in such circumstances." When he had told her she had given a small shriek and begun to cry. He had managed to get her to stop by saying that he was going to get help, and perhaps quit the force. At this, she had perked up and given him an entire meal free…which he had enjoyed greatly.

They walked upstairs, turning off the lights. She opened the door to her and Raven's living quarters and made her way to the kitchen.

"Hey, where is Garfield? I did not see him exit the building," she commented, turning on the kettle. Richard shrugged and sat down at the table and flicked on the news. He jumped a foot in the air when the doorbell rang. It sounded like a gong in the tiny room.

"Holy shi-" he was cut off by Kori going downstairs and coming back up with Victor and an African American woman in tow. The woman was slender and tall, but wore creased clothing, and there were bruises on her arms, that the short t-shirt sleeves didn't cover.

"Hey Vic, what's up?" Richard asked holding out his hand for a high five, which he received.

"Hey Kori, Rich, this is Karen. She has been my best friend since third grade," He smiled as Kori gave Karen a hug, he noticed it was softer than her normal hugs, she had probably seen the bruises, or by some weird telepathy that he had long since decided all females possessed had become aware of Karen's condition.

"Hello, Kori, Rich…how are you?" Richard could tell she was uncomfortable and decided to get her a glass of something. She looked around, as if afraid of something.

"Hey Karen want a drink?" He asked, smiling and gesturing towards the kitchen.

"Um no thank you, I'd like some orange juice if you don't mind," Richard turned and realized he had no idea where the orange juice was. He opened the stainless steel fridge and saw that there was a bizarre assortment of food. Shifting some strange vibrant orange and purple pasta around to the back he saw at least fourteen bottles of mustard. He forced himself not to laugh and continued his search

After a few moments he found the juice and managed to get the newcomer a glass. He had sensed that Victor was nervous about bringing a new person into the group.

"Hey is Gar here? He wasn't at home," Victor commented. Kori looked around and shrugged.

"I shall go ask Raven, perhaps she is feeling better," With her soft, light steps she went to the small hall and opened Raven's door. Everyone turned to look at her as she let out a giggle.

"Kori, what is it?" Richard stood and walked towards her slowly, just in case Raven was not decent.

"I have located Garfield. He is in bed with Raven," she let out a small giggle as Richard felt his jaw drop. He tried to say something along the lines of, "what the fuck?" but a second later as he joined Kori's side his vocal chords became preoccupied with vibrating with silent laughter.

In a mere moment, the other two were standing in the doorframe, everyone but Kori having moved with amazing speed. Victor whipped out a digital camera and quickly snapped a few pictures cause Richard to double over with even more silent laughter at the whispered word, "blackmail". Even Karen who had hung back was smiling at the pair.

Kori had been correct; Garfield was lying on Raven's bed, fast asleep on his back; his arms wrapped around Raven's sleeping form almost protectively. His head had turned in slumber and was facing the group as they stared. Raven, herself was almost on top of him, though it was not sexual in the slightest. Her face buried still in his chest, her head tilted just enough to let her breathe. One arm was almost wrapped around his neck, the hand actually lying right below his left ear, her other arm was bent her left hand was spread out on his left collarbone. There was an odd peace to them, as if slumber had finally freed them both from their demons.

No one moved, they did not want to wake their friends, somehow their presence had broken the protective spell as both Raven's and Garfield's eyes opened slowly. Garfield raised his head and looked at the outlines of his friends in the doorway. Raven looked from the group to Garfield then buried her head back in his chest, she did not want to wake up from such a peaceful sleep.

"Hey guys…"Garfield let go of Raven with one hand and rubbed his eyes with his index finger and thumb. Raven rolled off him and stood up, stretching. Garfield stood and ruffled his hair, giving an even messier look.

"Nice sleep?" asked Victor, trying not to laugh. Garfield gave him a "shut-the-hell-up-right-now" look, which only got stifled laughter as the large man doubled over.

Richard and Victor continued to make fun of him as they retreated to the living room. Kori had grabbed a few more glasses and had made everyone hot cocoa covered in whipped cream from her oddly large supply; even tea-loving Raven had some. They sat scattered around the room.

"Friend Raven, why were sleeping on top of Garfield?" Kori asked her room mate; the innocence in her voice and choice of words cause hot cocoa to come out of Victor's nose he was laughing so hard, Karen choked slightly on her drink and Richard inadvertently titled his cup and ended up pouring boiling hot liquid in his lap.

"Son of a bitch, that burns! For the love of all that's holy and the Chicago Bears stop laughing Garfield and hand me a towel!" Richard stood and winced in pain.

"Was there actually something there to burn?" asked Victor. His own comment caused him to start laughing even more. Garfield stood behind Richard and handed him a towel over his shoulder.

"There's more there than what you've got, grease monkey," Richard countered, smiling and mopping up his lap.

"That's Mr. Grease Monkey to you little man!" He laughed as he filled his voice with fake authority. In one swift move, he grabbed one of the cans of aerosol whipped cream off the table and lurched forward, pressing down on the nozzle to shoot some at Richard. Moving quickly Richard avoided to dairy product turned weapon and watched as Garfield got the topping square in the face; as the momentum of Victor's movement made it impossible for the singer to stop.

There was a stunned silence, then all hell broke loose, Richard grabbed the other two cans, Kori ran to the fridge and grabbed caramel, strawberry and chocolate sundae topping bottles tossed one to each of the girls.

"Hey I don't have anything!" Garfield cried and then almost immediately lamented speaking; everyone turned and covered him in a good, thick layer of toppings. He scooped handfuls of chocolaty whipped cream off his shoulders and brought the mess down on Raven's head. Richard barked out a laugh and added more cream to her hair.

"Oh it's on," Raven said and managed to cover Richard's perfectly gelled hair with a gooey caramel coating. He spun and blasted her in the face with the whipped cream. Kori screamed with laughter as she and Karen-with complete disregard for her injuries- tackled Victor onto the couch and covered his face in a blend of chocolate and strawberry sauce. Garfield snatched a can away from Richard and whipped cream layer to his caramel covered hair.

It was nearly an hour later when they stopped. The living room was a disaster area. Chocolate, strawberry and caramel toppings covered almost every piece of furniture,and somehow a bottle of imported mustard had made it's was into the fray and Kori's hair was an orangey-yellow colour for that very reason.

Karen moved gingerly, but had a one hundred watt smile on the whole time, her once neat hair white with whipped topping. Victor looked at her with concern bur smiled as she waved her hand at his expression, showing him she was fine.

"Don't we look tasty," Garfield said, flopping down on the couch. He licked his finger, "hey we are!"

Raven smiled and thought of how Malcolm would have just been whining about the mess on his clothes. She found herself looking at Garfield and wondering how she was lucky enough to be his friend.

Soon they were all laughing at each other and then at Richard who had grabbed Kori around the waist and kissed her, on the pretext of she had chocolate on her lips.

* * *

Ah whipped cream fights, nothnig bonds people like 'em. Except my and my friend Joel, but it is was coke, cake or other random food/object fights between us so...  
Moving on.  
I may be finishing off the story soon, depends on the reviews. I might be able to come up with a sequel though. Depends if people will read it.


	11. Words

Dedicated to; Cheyenne Fraser, _born Jan 7th 1991, died Nov 12 2006_. -Thanks for all the advice, laughs and talks. I know I will miss you forever.

Author's notes: This story is in honour for one of my best friends, who died a week ago today. She had an unfailing belief in love that I could never have. Everyone's lives are darker now without her spirit.  
Drunk Driving took another young life, one that was too beautiful for this world...Please for Cheyenne's sake, drive sober or fucking walk.

* * *

"You're beautiful." Raven turned from watching the _Saturday Night Live_ broadcast and looked at Garfield. One of her perfectly groomed eyebrows arched in puzzlement at the randomness of the statement that had issued from him.

"I beg your pardon?"

"You're beautiful" he repeated the same deep and sincere look in his eyes. He had turned to face her on the couch.

"Thank you…I guess," she didn't know what else to say. He smiled and turned back to the programme. Following suit, Raven felt her mind replay his words in her mind. Few people had paid her compliments in her life, very few of that small number had been real.

She looked around at her living room. There was a thick smell of soap, carpet shampoo and coffee in the air. Their food fight the night before had taken hours to clean up; it would have been shorter but halfway though they had started another fight with the random blobs of food toppings. Somehow, another bottle of imported mustard had been used up, this time on Victor.

Her mind wandered as her gaze shifted over to Kori and Richard sitting rather close and reading a magazine on lemmings. He was occasionally explaining a word and laughing with her. They looked very happy, although when ever he was not looking at his beloved Kori, Richard looked depressed and alone.

Garfield had told her what happened. Now she realized why he was so attracted to Kori. She was the one thing that literally forced sunshine into everyone lives.

Biting back bitter tears over Malcolm dumping her, which had resurfaced at looking at the new couple, she turned her attention to Victor and Karen, they were playing chess in the corner. He had taken her to the hospital and she had come back with a few bandages. She seemed calmer but every time the doorbell of phone rang, she jumped a foot in the air. Raven knew she must have a messed up past but politeness told her it was not right to pry.

Her thoughts took over as her eyes glazed. Garfield did not know but she had taken to visiting his father at least once a week. She brought him flowers and cobbler, and told him things about Garfield's day that Garfield would not tell his father. She smiled at the memory of how close she and Mr. Logan had become. He was like the father she never had.

They had spent hours talking about everything and anything. Often times they discussed life and death, the meaning of existence. He loved to talk about Garfield and had told her so many stories that Garfield probably wouldn't have wanted anyone to hear...ever. They laughed a lot and cried a fair amount of times. He always seemed happy to see her but she knew he missed his wife more than life itself.

When he had told her if he went comatose he wanted to die, she had been taken aback but after thinking about it decided he had made the right decision.

Sometimes before she went into the room she peered into the window and saw him looking at Marie's empty bed and her heart always felt like it was breaking watching the forlorn expression on his face. Once or twice, she had the small hope that she could find someone that loved her as much as Mark loved Marie.

Her last visit, two days before her break up Mark had hinted at Garfield being attracted to her. Now she found her self wondering if he was right…and Garfield's comment moments before had only confused her more.

Her mind reeling, she focused her eyes and returned to watching television. She felt Garfield slip his arm over her shoulder and hug her closer on the couch. He was warm and she leaned against him, welcoming the body heat and the comfort of having another person so close. His actions still shocked her though.

Turning to look at him, surprise plain on her face she saw his cheeks were scarlet, he did not move his eyes from the television, as if he was afraid to look at her and try to come up with some up with a reason or excuse for his actions.

Smiling slightly she sat even closer to him and hoped no one would notice her blushing too.

---

"Dad, I'm fine. I have filed the claim…okay. I'm staying with Victor…. No Dad, Darrel won't find me…. Don't call him that…yes, I know…Dad…" Victor listened to Karen talking to her father over the phone. Judging from her tired tone he was really pushing the, "sue the bastard" stand he was taking on the whole issue.

The last thing Karen wanted was for this to become a legal battle. Victor knew she wouldn't drag her ex to court. She had made it clear she just wanted to have her child. The two of them had already chosen a storage room to become the nursery. The still couldn't decide if is should be painted mint green or butterfly yellow

Victor wondered if the mixed feelings he had about helping his best friend raise her unborn child were similar to a first time father's. Half the time he was thrilled he was going to help mould a life, and help someone grown up and be a good person; yet other times he was scared about the baby getting sick, or Karen having an accident and losing the baby. He spent hours at night laying awake staring at the ceiling wondering about the safety of someone who didn't even have hands yet.

Karen walked into the room, a weak smile on her face.

"Is he still not backing down on making you sue?" Victor asked, giving the impression he had not been listening in. Flopping down on an over stuffed armchair across the coffee table from him she nodded.

"Yeah, he wants me to file charges. I already have a restraining order out on Darrel," she signed and rubbed her stomach. She looked tired and worn as she absentmindedly picked at a loose thread on her sweater. She wouldn't take money from him to buy new clothes and her were fairly worn out.

Her skills were engine repair and engine detail. She was having trouble finding a job, but she still wouldn't accept charity.

"It's gonna be okay," Victor reached across the table and patted her knee, "I'll be here. And if he comes near you I will smash his head in with a tire iron."

"Victor, don't even joke about that." Her eyes were serious and Victor nodded. She hated violence, especially of late. He didn't blame her and knew he should not have said that. He really did want to hurt Darrel though. All his life he had stood up for his friends, no one had ever messed with them and gotten away with it.

"Want to go get some coffee?" He said, changing the conversation. She nodded and he saw she had tears in her eyes, "Karen, what's wrong?"

"It's just, I'm so scared. For the baby…for myself…for everything. I keep seeing him everywhere and am…so s-scared and you a-are just being s-so nice and…you're friends-s are j-just so k-kind and…" Her voice trailed off as her sobs became audible.

"Karen, he is never going to hurt you again." Pulling her into a hug her sobs turned into hic-cups. They both jumped as the phone rang. Victor answered it. Karen stood quietly drying her tears.

"Hello?" He heard someone breathing on the other side.

"Is Karen there?" The voice was raspy, and a car horn sounded in the background. Judging for the background din the person was in a phone booth.

"Who is this?" Victor was uneasy, usually calls at nine at night from strange men asking for a woman who had run away from her abusive ex weren't a good thing.

"Just put her on the phone!" The voice snarled. Victor realized it was the infamous Darrel.

"She isn't here, you have the wrong number." He said, a stiffness in his voice. Before the caller could answer he moved the phone away from his ear and tried to push the "off" button. In mistake caused by his shock at the fact Darrel had found Karen and by the rush of blinding fury at the sound of the man's voice he pushed the speaker phone button instead.

"Fuck! Put that worthless whore on now! She fucking ran away from me! Put the bitch on the phone now or else I kill you!" Karen looked like a scared rabbit. Her eyes wide she stared at the phone as if was a unexploded terrorist bomb.

"She isn't at this address!" Victor yelled at the phone then throwing it down with such force the whole thing shattered on the ground; spewing it's mechanical and plastic guts out onto the area rug. Karen collapsed on the ground.

---

"Hello, nine-one-one operator. Police Fire or Ambulance?" the operator's voice was hollow sounding in Victor's ear. He debated over calling an ambulance but he saw that Kori and Raven had Karen awake and were sitting with her.

Karen was visibly shaking but seemed all right now. She slowly walked over to the bathroom.

"Police" He said. There was a beep then he was connected. Explaining the situation, he watched Garfield and Richard checking the windows, peering down on the streets below, looking for anyone suspicious.

Five seconds of frantic searching for the other phone and eight minutes of dialling Azar's number wrong, right after Darrel calling, their four friends had come over in less than two minutes. He was amazed at how they did not ask questions but simply began to help.

Soon he was on hold and drinking coffee, having calmed down significantly. Garfield had gone to help Karen who was crying and throwing up in the bathroom. Victor peeked in, Garfield was holding her hair back and talking to her.

---

Karen retched again. This was horrible. She was worried about the baby, what if this hurt it somehow? She had to admit, Garfield was helping. He was very kind and she was feeling much calmer. Even so Darrel calling was a shock. If he knew where she was there was no telling what he would do to her or Victor or any of her new friends.

Coughing she spat up into the white toilet bowl. The nausea was fading and she lay down on the cool tile floor.

"Come on, up you get. You'll be fine. The police are out looking for him, and no one will hurt you or your baby," Garfield held out his head to help her up.

"My b-baby? How did you know? Did Victor tell you?" Her eyes were wide. The last thing she needed was for her friends to find out she had an illegitimate baby on the way.

"No, he didn't tell me, You skin has a glow to it only pregnant women get, that and the way you carry yourself is a sign," He smiled and she relaxed.

"Does anyone else know?" she asked. She really didn't want it to be public just yet.

"I believe Raven and Kori do, but that may be because they are female and can sense that. Richard doesn't know, he hasn't had the time to even really think about anything of that sort." Garfield smiled at her and held out his hand.

"Oh," she couldn't think of anything else to say. Taking his hand he led her over to the couch where Raven and Kori were waiting with tea and hugs.

She talked with the girls and found out they did know about her condition. Somehow they began to talk about names and other such things and she realized these were people who really did care about her.

---

"So have they found him yet?" Richard asked. He had just come from therapy and had run into Kori at a grocery store.

"Sadly, no. they have not located him. I fear for Karen." Richard sighed at the hopelessness he felt at the moment. They stood there talking for a while.

Giving her a hug Richard returned on his way. He was quitting the force, he just couldn't take it anymore. Sure it was his dream but slowly it had become a waking nightmare. He had an idea his therapist had given him; open a private detective agency.

He could still help people but not have to be exposed to so much all the time. He knew it was a long shot but it made sense and he knew if he went back to the force it would only end with him picking up that gun again and Garfield might not be around to save him again.

The agency may have been long shot but he could make a steady income if word of mouth was good enough. He knew that most of his work would come from trailing cheating wives and two-timing husbands, but he could help some people.

His heels made a hollow sound on the pavement as he worked his way through the crowd.

---

He peered into the doorway and gave a jump of surprise. Raven was visiting his father. He stepped away from the door and felt his heart pound. The plastic bag he was carrying hit the floor.

What if Mark told her what he had said about her. The attractive way her short hair fell in her eyes when she was in a rush, or the sweet way she talked to him or worse still, how pretty he thought her eyes were.

He peeked him, Mark was talking and Raven was shaking her head. He caught the words, "No…you're joking" from her. His father's loud laugh sounded through the door.

Garfield grabbed his bag, turned on his heel and walked down the hallway hoping his father wouldn't say anything. He nodded to the nurses and exited via the nearest doors he could find. Climbing into his car he slammed his face into the steering wheel his head sliding down so fast the horn didn't go off for more than a second and then lifting his head so fast he blacked out for a second. He mentally kicked himself for talking about Raven so much to his father.

Mark always had a look of amusement crossed with happiness at his son's little conversations all about her. Often he would laugh and say that Garfield sounded like himself when he had first met Marie. When Mark said that Garfield wondered if his father knew something he didn't. He may be attracted to Raven but he wasn't in love with her the way Mark had been and still was in love with Marie…was he?

Climbing back out of the car he set the alarm. He had to visit his father, no matter what Raven found out. He walked back through the hall, plastic bag in hand and opened that door. Raven jumped and Mark laughed.

"Hey Gar, how are you?" He asked as his son gave him a hug.

"Okay," Was the reply, "Hey Rae, what are you doing here?"

"Oh I'm visiting your father…we've become friends," she smiled lightly. He could tell it was a bit of an uncomfortable situation for her. He noticed a novel on the nightstand.

"_Titans Interdimensional _…interesting, what's it about?" He asked picking up the book. The author's photo on the book jacket revealed a man wearing a pinstripe fedora. "Darrien Grayson…I'm guessing in no relation to Richard,"

"Nope. The last name is a coincidence. I thought your father might like it. It's pretty heavy science fiction but it's a good read. Kori recomended it to me." Raven explained, the startled look still on her face. Garfield noticed her cheeks were very red.

"Awesome. Guess what? I brought pumpkin pie!" He pulled out a entire orange pie. Mark laughed and Raven smiled wider.

"That's out of season…how-?" Mark began, Garfield cut him off.

"Kori taught me how to make it." He smiled sheepishly at the huge smile on Raven's face. He had managed to keep the whole "learning to bake" thing secret until Raven had walked in on him and Kori in the kitchen, both of them covered in flour.

"So this pie didn't blow up?" She asked, her voice light with amusement.

"No pie ever blew up, I just knocked the flour over and that exploded, not the pie itself" He explained laughing. Reaching over he pushed the button to summon a nurse. When the lady clad in white entered he asked her to bring him a extra plate.

"Sorry Rae, I only have two plates in here. I didn't expect you." She shook her head, her face still red. He couldn't help but notice how confused she looked.

"It's okay I have to go anyways. Bye Gar, Bye Mark." She stood and grabbed her coat. As she said good bye to him Garfield noticed she didn't quite meet his eyes.

"Bye…'Pretty Eyes'," Mark laughed at the speed Garfield's face went crimson. Raven smiled faintly but her eyes revealed she had something on her mind. She pulled on her coat and placed her hand on the door.

"Bye," she gave a small laugh and walked out her face red and he eyes wide with sheer embarasment.

"Dad how could you?!" Garfield said his face burning and his mind spinning in circles. Mark laughed yet again.

"Oh don't worry son, I didn't tell her _everything_."

* * *

Note: The title of the book; _Titans Interdimensional_, is the name of a story my friend is writing on this site. I encourage people to check it out as it is a solid not to mention ORIGINAL (very rare on this site). If you do check his story please review.

Once again: Drive sober.


	12. Pain

"W-where am I?" she asked sitting up and looking about. Everything was hazy. Blinking to clear her blurred vision Garfield appeared as if from thin air. 

"Where you should be, at home," He gestured to the lavish surroundings. Rich blues on the wall, plush carpet, exquisite wood furnishings. She sat up realizing she was in a blue silk nightgown, lying in a beautiful queen sized poster bed. Looking back at her friend, she saw he had a tray with toast and bacon on it. He held it out.

"Um, thanks," she said taking it. She noticed a gold wedding band with a single diamond, tinted with a slight purple hue on her hand. Looking at his hand, she saw a similar band, minus the diamond.

"Anything for you, honey, see you downstairs," He leaned over and gave her a kiss on the cheek. She did not move. Placing the try to the side, she stood and walked towards the door Garfield had gone through.

Walking through the door, she saw a dark glistening smear on the floor. She followed it, a wave a dread enveloping her. Taking a turn, she entered a room and saw Garfield lying on the ground, a knife in his chest. Blood had blossomed onto his white shirt staining it a gruesome crimson. There were stab wounds showing through tears in the shirt, and he looked like he had died in great pain.

Her eyes slowly looked up from the body to the other figures in the room. Richard, Kori, Victor and Karen all had gunshot wounds to the head and were slumping against a desk as if luggage. Behind the desk was a chair. As she looked on in horror the chair spun around, the sight of the man in it made her turn to the side and vomit as a wave of fresh horror, and burning nausea hit her….

She sat straight up in be, drenched in cold sweat. She felt the yellow t-shirt she was wearing sticking to her back and the hammering of her heart. She turned her form over the side of the bed, grabbed her garbage can and promptly threw up twice.

It had been her father. Her father had killed everyone in her dream. Even her…husband. Why had Garfield been her husband… she asked herself. Wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, she picked up the garbage pail and went to clean it. Returning to her room collapsed on the floor shaking, dry heaving and on the verge of tears. The dream kept replaying, sharply focused and dizzyingly terrifying.

She looked at her hand; she could still feel the slight weight of the ring. Glancing at the clock, she saw she had overslept, but Kori could handle the people. She did not want to rush down to deal with prissy people who thought her only goal in life was to serve them food.

Raven had stayed up late into the night, her mind never leaving what Mark had told her. The thought that if it was true made her heart hammer and her head spin, and left a feeling of elation in her chest. She stood and pulled on a robe quickly, hoping to distract herself from all thought, she went and took a long, hot shower.

It cleared her head, but that brought her dream into a sharp focus. She had not thought about him in years and with that stupid newspaper article, the nightmares came back, vivid and sleep depriving as ever.

She dressed quickly and went downstairs. Kori was serving the meals and Raven went to work in the kitchen preparing food and washing dishes. Kori entered during a quiet spell about half an hour later.

"Morning, Dear Raven. Did you not sleep well?" Raven looked at Kori. She had an innocence to her that made it sometimes hard to talk to her and extremely easy to at the same time.

"Not really, was I talking in my sleep again?" Her voice was tired sounding. She began to wash the dishes, enjoying the mindless task as it stopped her hands from shaking.

"A little. That is why I let you sleep in. I checked in on you a few minutes ago and you said something like, 'Gar, no", I am unsure of this, however, as you started whimpering as well." She placed an arm around Raven, "It is going to be alright. He will not find you." Her words provided little comfort.

"I had a dream that I woke up in this beautiful house and Garfield brought me breakfast in bed and when he left, I followed him and there was this dark smear on the floor…I followed it to this room and he had killed him. He had stabbed Gar and shot all of you," she had been speaking amazingly fast and when she paused to take a much need breath she began to cry.

"Perhaps you need to stop reading those thick murder novels, Raven; they appear to be helping you scare yourself. I am worried and fear you may become sick, like last time." She of course was referring to how Raven had starved herself and become so sleep deprived that she had begun to hallucinate. It had gotten so bad she had to be hospitalized

"Of course," Raven said, knowing Kori was right. Taking a deep steadying breath, she wiped her tears away with the back of her hand and went to the sink to wash her face. He was ruining her life again. That fear that he would hurt her or her friends had never left, with the news of his return it only got worse.

---

**Smash!**

The car window shattered into tiny glass beads under the blow of the aluminium bat. Next went the rear view mirrors, then all four windows and finally the back window last. The alarm was blaring but no one stopped to check the underground parking area. It was New York; a car alarm went off every second like some demented clock.

The man dropped the bat from his gloved hands as the owner of the vehicle yelled.

"What the fuck? Get the hell away from my car!"

In an instant, the man was off, dodging between the cars and into the thick crowd on the sidewalk.

"Aw man. I just had it detailed," moaned Victor, examining his car and nearly crying at the extensive damage. He pulled some of the glass out of the window frame; it fell to the ground, bouncing on the cement slightly.

"Vic? What's wrong?" Karen stepped out of the stairwell. When she saw, the glistening pebbled glass everywhere around the car and the bat she gave a jump. He hands went to her abdomen in a protective reflex.

"I think we'll have to call a cab to take you to the doctor." He said, standing. Sighing he pulled out his cell phone and called his high-class auto repair shop, booking an appointment for the next day. He smiled slightly, he was the only person who loved his car so much he paid twice as much, and have to book a few days in advance for a simple glass change.

"Was it…." Karen's voice trailed off. She clutched her beige coat around her more tightly and looked around. No one was in the parking area. He turned an looked at her, an odd protective instinct kicking in at the sight of her, standing there he looked around knowing if he got his hands of the asshole he was going to hurt him.

Yeah, I think it was." He had expected her to shudder or show some fear but an odd look came into her eyes. She stood straighter and turned around walking towards the stairwell. She turned on her heel and looked directly at him.

"C'mon then, let's get a cab, I want to find out what I need to have a healthy baby," He voice had back some of its old strength. She walked right by him and picked up the bat, her coat sleeve over her hand. She tossed it through the broken back window.

"Karen, are you alright?" Victor asked. He smiled at the look she gave him. It was that old, "shut up" look she used to give him.

"Of course. If the bastard thinks I am going to get scared enough to come back he is wrong. I don't like a man telling me what to do anyways. I'm going to have this kid and raise it right."

Victor wasn't sure if she had lost it or if this was what she needed to stop being scared. He went inside and called for a cab. Moments later, they were in the doctor's waiting room reading old, dog-eared copies of Reader Digest.

"Hey Karen," he started to say. They were the only two in the room, even the secretary had left for a coffee break.

"Hmm?" she said looking at him. He smiled at her and wanted to kick himself for what he was going to ask.

"What happened?" Her eyes dropped, she knew he meant their last year of high school. The year she had begun to skip and do drugs, the year they had stopped speaking.

"I don't want to talk about it," she said, her hands gripping the over of the magazine.

"Karen, for fuck's sake, I think I deserve an answer. It has bugged me for years," he said, trying to keep the anger out of his voice.

"Fine, you really want to know, Victor? You want to know why I got so bad in twelfth grade. He touched me, he did things to me," she spat, her voice was angry at the bringing up of better-left forgotten memories that were always too close to the surface for comfort.

"Who did?" He was stunned. He had thought her continuous parting was a late teenage rebellion, not a cover up for molestation.

My stepfather. He raped me one week before the senior prom, that's why I didn't go…I drank so much after I was hospitalized. I needed an escape and drugs were always there," she gave him a sick smile, "I never did escape."

"Yes you did. The moment you called me you did." he said. She looked at him and gave him a hug, burying her face in his shoulder.

"I know I did."

---

"Hey son, glad you could make it." Mark looked like hell. His face was white and there were dark patches under his eyes. He raised one weak hand and took his sons hand in his own.

"Yeah, the hospital called me said you were in trouble. Dad what's wrong?" Garfield was pale. He now hated the call display. He sat on the wooden chair and looked at his father.

"I went comatose for an hour about two hours ago, they say I have a high chance of going under again," Mark felt tears pool in his eyes. He looked at his brave son. The one who gave up so much just to spend time with his parents.

Garfield sat there with so many machines around him it was hard to find a place to sit. Marie's empty bed had long since been moved out.

"Dad you'll wake up again, I know you will" Garfield was crying openly, holding his father's hand. His hair fell forwards as he tilted his head forward not wanting to look his father in the face.

"No, Gar, I won't I just want to end this. I miss your mother and I can't handle this pain anymore." Mark looked up at Garfield and sighed. He had practiced what he was going to say but it didn't make it any easier.

He held out his hand. It was a diamond engagement ring. It was pretty with three small diamonds set in the gold band. The center was a beautiful white diamond that was slightly larger than the other two on either side. The two smaller had a blue hue to them that only comes from the purest white diamonds. He dumped it into Garfield's half-closed hand.

"Isn't that…" Garfield began. He brushed the side of his thumb over the ring, it was warm from the time is had probably spent in Mark's hand, during the harder moments when the memories wouldn't stop and the pain became almost unbearable.

"Yeah, it was your mother's. I want you to have it. Just in case you do find a girl…or have found one." He smiled at Garfield's red face. Placing the ring back in his father's hand, Garfield pushed Mark's hand away.

"I can't take it, that's too final," He looked at his father and slowly opened his hand again after a moment of silence and felt the weight of the ring hit his palm. He knew he had to take it, there was no use fighting the inevitable. Closing his eyes slowly he squeezed his hand shut feeling the ring press into his palm. They sat there in silence until there was a faint knock on the door.

"Hey, Gar." it was Raven. Garfield stood up and pulled her into a hug. She was stunned at first but hugged back. Knowing how close Garfield had to be to breaking down. It was heartbreaking that she couldn't ease his burden.

"I'm sorry," she whispered into his ear. She felt him hug her tighter, embracing her small form. She was solid and warm, something he need so much now. Her soft voice made the words tickle his ear and send a not completely unwanted shiver down his spine.

Mark cleared his throat and Garfield broke away from his hugging Raven, blushing. He seemed to be doing a lot of that near her lately. More and more he was beginning to feel like a high school boy with a crush on the prettiest girl in school when he was near her.

"Hey Mark," Raven said, she went to his bed and hugged him. He handed her back the book she had lent him. While they two were talking, Garfield slipped the ring into his pocket.

"Here you go, great read. I love the characters, so well formed and in depth." She took the book and smiled, Garfield pulled up a chair for her and they sat and did the only thing they could; they talked.

The conversation went on for hours until the surly looking nurse with grey hair came in and told them visiting hours were over. With some quick smooth talking Raven got them more time, it ended up being five hours past visiting time before they had to leave. Raven left saying she had to get back to Azar's. She gave Garfield a quick kiss on the cheek in farewell, causing his stomach to do a few flips and his face to heat up like furnace.

After she was gone, he looked at his father. This was probably going to be the last time they talked. That thought felt like lead in Garfield's stomach.

"Dad, I love you," he said. Mark just looked at him, a soft smile on his face.

"I know you do son. I love you too." Was all he said, his voice a whisper due the emotion of the moment.

"Say hi to mom for me, "Garfield said, standing. He looked at his father, the one who had scared away the monsters from in his closet that actually turned out to be a cymbal banging monkey from his babyhood. Mark looked so weak in that bed, a dozen beeping machines hooked up to him. If he were to finally be put at rest it would be a relief for all those who knew him. This wasn't fair, Mark could not live without Marie and Garfield -although he did not want to admit it- knew that even though he didn't want to say goodbye, it was in truth the only thing to be done.

"Of course. I'm sorry for doing this to you. It's a self old man's wish," Mark was close to tears. He looked away from his son. The one who had never left his side, who had missed three months of classes just for him.

"Dad, you love mom. You are the most unselfish person I know." Garfield's voice was breaking with emotion and understanding. He looked away from a moment and took a steadying breath.

"Thanks son. Do me a favour, don't let her get away." He smiled at the look on Garfield's face.

"Dad, no, Raven…she is just my friend. That's all," He explained. Knowing yet again, he was blushing.

"Raven, likes you. In addition, she makes you happy. When she is around you smile, as I know I smiled around your mother. At least give it a shot. I took a chance with you mother, and look we had so many happy years of marriage and a beautiful son."

"Alright dad, I promise I'll try." Garfield said, not knowing what he was agreeing to exactly, giving his eyes had over flowed the moment Mark had mentioned his mother. He wiped the tears away, telling himself to be strong for his father.

They talked for a few moments more. Avoiding what had to be said. Not wanting to think about what was going to happen. Simply just not wanting to say goodbye.

Garfield had always hated saying goodbye, he never liked the finality of it

"I love you Dad, I always will. I'll make you proud" His voce was cracking with sincerity.

"You already do, you always have and you always will. I have never been more proud of you in my life than now. Your strength is amazing. I will always love you Garfield. Goodbye."

"Goodbye" the words fell out of his mouth as he began to lose control over his emotions. Tear stung and burned his eyes but did not fall.

He gave his father a hug and left. All that had been needed to say had been said. Tears fell down his face as he started his car and drove into the streets. Hoping that maybe he could be killed him a crash; drive off a bridge, something just maybe so the pain would stop.

* * *

Suggested reading, **Titans Interdimensional. **An _original_ alternate universe story with an original character cast along side the titans. Solid plot and great read. The (most fabulous) author: knight of the pen.


	13. Alone

Yep, here it is. Chapter 13. Enjoy.

* * *

He grabbed the items from his car, knowing that with the windows gone, thieves would have a field day. He had driven it to the auto repair shop but had to leave it over night. Even if it was inside, people would find a way, people if they want something will always find a way. Sadly, what people want is not always what was best, for them or anyone. 

Someone had once broken into Azar's just to use the washroom. They had even left a note apologising for the broken window. He smiled at the memory of Kori's face as the idea of someone doing that then leaving a note as it was completely unheard of to her.

He got out of the cab twelve minutes later, paying the cabby and taking the grocery bags filled with items from his beloved car in his hands he walked towards the stairwell, humming a song by James Blunt.

He fumbled for the keys to open the stairwell door; everything was double locked in this neighbourhood. He couldn't afford much on his salary as an entertainer, not that Raven and Kori didn't pay him well, it was just you never could make money singing in a pub, unless you were discovered there, but then you made money else where so still, you couldn't make a lot of money singing in a pub. He stopped from his musing on money as he found the right key for the first lock.

He didn't see or hear the person sneaking up on him, realization only sank in a second before the metal pole came smashing down on his head. Stars exploded in his vision as he felt his thoughts slip away into darkness.

The only sound after a strangled gasp as he fell into unconsciousness was the sound of the plastic bag hitting the floor followed by a pipe hitting the concrete and running footsteps, echoing in the enclosed space, fading quickly as blackness greeted him.

---

Garfield stared at his white phone; hating it, wanting it to explode in a burst of roaring hellfire. He was waiting for the painful call the one that would signal his father's end and the slightly happy thought of Mark's reunion with Marie, behind the pearly gates.

He was sitting down with a huge mug of hot chocolate when the phone rang. Jumping a foot in the air and spilling the hot chocolate on his lap, causing burns to a very important and sensitive area, he grabbed the phone and dropped it while trying to wipe off his lap. Fumbling for a second, he snatched it up and answered.

"Hello?" He sounded in pain, and he was experiencing mental, emotional, and now thanks to the miracle of boiling hot water mixed with cocoa mix, physical pain as well. His voice was anxious and tight sounding, yet fast. He had been on edge too long to have any control over his emotions. Sometimes he wondered how Raven could keep her cool so well.

"Mr. Logan, this call is regarding…," the woman on the other side said, mechanically. This was not the most horrible call in the world to her; this was the same call she had to make nearly ever ten minutes for a salary just above minimum wage. She destroyed people lives everyday, for a second he pondered if she ever thought about that herself, maybe she had trouble sleeping at night, or maybe she remain blissfully oblivious to how much pain she delivered.

"My father?" Garfield interrupted. Impatient to hear his world was over. There was a point when he dreaded the phone call and wished it had never come, and then slowly he had just wanted to get it over. It was like being on Death row; it's the waiting that really kills you.

"No, you're incorrect. This is regarding your friend, Mr. Stone. He is in critical condition at Allen Pavilion Hospital. You have been requested to see him." Her voice was devoid of emotion. She did not care, he realized, just like the rest of the world she didn't care. Victor was just a number to her, a way to make money, not a human with a kind heart and great voice.

"Victor…what happened?" He asked, his voice shaking. This was a nightmare, a total fucking nightmare. He wanted to throw the phone as far away as possible, erase what he had been told, and hide under his bed as he used to when he was a little boy.

Only this time, his mother would not be there to coax him out; his father wouldn't chase the monsters away. He was alone. He was very much alone.

"I am not allowed to discuss that over the phone," she said, her voice took a tone of sympathy at the waver in his. He thanked her and hung up, she may have been cold but she was just making a living. Taking several deep breaths and holding them in until his chest hurt he began to calm down. In his mind, a voice similar to Raven's told him to get a grip.

He grabbed his coat and his much hated kiwi green cell phone with the batman theme song ring tone. He needed to be reachable by Jump City Hospital…there was still another call to come. One he had already gotten about two months ago. One he had never wanted to get as long as he lived. He dug into his pocket for his car keys, ripping the fabric.

"Son of a bitch!" He cursed seeing the long tear. He pulled out his keys and started his car. The slight rain bounced when it hit the ground and the headlights of passing cars lit it up with a bright glow. It was as if they were running over angels, or hitting small stars.

Driving through the streets he pulled into the parking lot. He went right to front desk mentally noting how sick he was of the scent of hospitals. There seems a universal stench for every single one of the death houses. He looked about at the tear streaked faces of the people in waiting room and felt his control which was actually in truth a morbid anger begin to break. His eyes watered as he walked down the long white and powder blue hallway.

The nurse led him to a critical care room. He opened the door and saw Richard and the girls; they stood around the bed, looking at the form covered by a mint green blanket that was Victor. White cloth covered the back of his head. If he was asleep or unconscious, Garfield could not tell.

Raven looked at him her hands crammed into the pockets of her jeans, her eyes sad, and her lip-oozing blood from biting it so hard to stop from crying. Something Kori was doing to the point of embarrassment. She was sobbing violently on Richard's shoulder; her hair forming a curtain of auburn, blocking the upper part of Richard's arm from view, he was standing there, oblivious to the tears seeping through his white t-shirt. He just looked at the bloody bandage on Victor's head with a grim look of acceptance and quiet anger. His fists were clenching and unclenching slowly in a meditative way.

For a cop or even an ex-cop this had to be torture, not being able to go out and find the ass that had done this. He could almost feel Richard's desire to fine the person and take a gun to his head. Garfield could not blame him for being angry and vengeful, at that moment Garfield wanted to find the person and rip his eyes out, then slowly burn the person to death. The cruelness of his thought alarmed him slightly and he pushed them away. He did not want to visit that place again.

Blues eyes searched and found Karen, she was kneeling on the bed, holding Victor's hand, face down in the blankets, he shoulders shaking in silent sobs. He watched her until her felt arm hugs him. It was Raven, holding on to him as he had been holding onto her for months.

Her loyalty to her friends was so strong that this had to be like a knife coated with salt and acid stabbing her repeatedly.

She clung to him, half out of the fear for Victor, that other half just to see him standing there. After her dream yesterday, she felt a warm wave of relief seeing him again. He smelled like chocolate and she saw there was a stain all down his front. She decided against asking about it.

"What happened," when he spoke, she felt it more that heard it. Not looking up she told him, her voice quiet.

"He was hit from behind with a pole. The doctor's don't know if there will be damage or not…or if he will live…" she began to cry as he rubbed her back, tears falling out of his own eyes. It was too much.

"It's going to be okay, it has to." He said holding her to the point right before painful something in his voice told her if it wasn't okay, he would finally break and probably do exactly what he had stopped Richard from doing. He let go and walked over to Victor, she followed. For such a large man, he looked small in that bed. Karen was still holding his hand and crying. Begging whatever god there was to help Victor, to make him better.

Garfield had given up in god; he did not believe in the almighty anymore, his anger and hatred for him had destroyed his faith. He didn't think it was fair to have his parents taken away from him, even though he knew it was selfish, yet as he remembered his new lack of belief he realized he must have angrily mumbled something about it out loud as Raven answered him.

"You can't be angry at something that you think doesn't exist," she mumbled back. He was struck dumb by her words. Sometimes what she said was so profound it seemed to be better coming from an advanced professor of physiology. She had a sage like amount of intelligence.

Karen looked up at Raven, since there was sound in her direction, then to the others and took a shaky breath. Her eyes were red and face tear stained, yet she still looked pretty. He face was a mask of guilt and pain. A tissue was clamped in her had so tight her nails had torn it and begun to leave crescent moon shaped cuts on her palm.

"You guys don't have to be here, it's too late. You have to work." she said, she wasn't trying to chase them away, she had a considerate tone and Raven sighed, knowing she did need some sleep.

Kori sighed and moved towards the door with great reluctance. She was an early riser and needed a good night's sleep. She gave a feeble wave as she opened the door. Her skirt had disappeared around the corner when Richard followed her; he had a counselling appointment in the morning. Soon it was just the three of them and the still form of Victor.

Garfield looked down at his friend. Raven paused by the door, she was waiting for him. He was grateful; he knew that the long hallway with its disinfectant cleaner scent and the sounds of people in agony would be too much for him.

"Get better, buddy, please," he muttered. He looked at Karen and then grabbed a tissue from the box and wrote his cell number down, "Karen, call me if anything, I mean anything changes." She nodded and took the number, folding it carefully and placing it on the nightstand.

He left, he had class tomorrow, two months was long enough absence, and she remembered him telling her that the other day. Tomorrow was going to be hell for him. He left, right behind Raven in the hall; he stopped when the batman theme song began to play. He slowly reached into his pocket. She watched as he lifted up the phone and pushed accept.

"Hello?" He looked pale and she could hear his shallow breathing. His left hand hung loosely by his side, shaking slightly.

"Gar…?" she began, but stopped. Interrupting him was a bad idea. This was actually the worse possible place for him to be now. This horrid place with the smell of death and suffering everywhere. Being here made her claustrophobic and she could not imagine how it had to be affecting him with the hell he had been going through.

"Yes this is him…yes…when…of course…no…alright…thank you." He hung up. She saw his eyes water and knew they had to be stinging with tears. He looked at her for a moment the jerks his head to the side, trying to hide his tears.

"Gar...are you-" he cut her off. His eyes were expressing more pain that she could believe they possibly could and he grit his teeth in anger before he spoke.

"Okay? No. He fucking died, an hour ago," his voice was hostile, filled with a reckless anger. She looked at him and he made to shove the phone into his pocket, but it slipped and it fell to the tile floor, breaking in half. The smash seemed to break a paralysis that held he him he walked down the hall

"Do you need to talk about it?" she said, the look on his face told her the real answer before he answered with the lie she knew he was going to try and convince himself of. That stupid lie everyone tried to convince themselves of.

"No, just move, I have to go home," he pushed by her, walking down the hall. He walked slowly but with purpose.

"No, you'll get into an accident!" she yelled running after him. He ignored her. When she grabbed his shoulder, she shoved her away. He grabbed him again pulling him around in an awkward circle. He just looked away, as if ashamed of himself, or his reaction to the news of his father's death.

"So?" Was his answer, full of hate and self-loathing, pain and anger. That one word, on syllable almost broke her heart. His voice was angry, and sad, she had to fight the urge to kiss him and stop anything self destructive from escaping ever again.

"Cause if you fucking die, you'll hurt everyone more than they already are. Jesus Christ Gar, I couldn't live without you!" She hissed, tears burning her eyes. Anger pounding in her head, followed by sympathy for him at his loss. Her emotions were out of control and she was desperately trying to get them in check, she needed a clear head to deal with Garfield and the loss of the one man who was her only father figure.

"Move, Raven, I don't need to hear this, at least you still have your father," he gave her another shove aside and began to walk away. She stood her ground, a flash of anger had hit her, but left replaced by the numbing sadness that she had felt since he last conversation with Mark. She walked up to him and fought back the want to slap him, get some sense through his pain-blinded mind.

He seemed to want to anger her, maybe even make her hit him, sometimes physical pain was needed to help cope with an unsurpassable amount of emotional pain. It was the same reason so people cut themselves or wandered the streets looking for fights.

"No, Mark was the closest thing to a father I ever had. You can't run Garfield, reality is faster than you," He walked father down the hallway as she spoke.

"Fine, what should I do? Where can I fucking go?" He called down to her, his voice still angry but she could hear the sadness that almost drowned out his voice.

"Come back to my place. Sleep there, don't go to class, you can't right now," she said, her cool logical side prevailing. She started walking towards him, not stopping when he collapsed face down on the floor, crying. He spoke, not moving his head as she knelt beside him.

"I don't want to be alone,"

* * *

**_Please review_** as I switched point of view from limited omniscient to completely omniscient in the last part. I don't know if the switch was well wored or not and would like feedback as I'm trying a slightly different writing style.  
As always let me know how you like the plot.  
KotP: Let me know if you caught the little joke in the 24th paragraph from the bottom. 


	14. Run Away

Author's Notes: Hello. First I apologise for the spelling mistakes, my spell check isn't working too great.  
Enjoy.

* * *

"Gar, I think you should-" she began, looking at him over the small table in her apartment. The walls were stripped bare, and there was a drop sheets on the furniture. Kori was repainting the room, she had been begging Raven for two solid months and finally her roommate had relented. 

"Talk," he finished for her, "no thanks, I don't want to talk about it," he said, taking a drink from his glass of milk. It had been a few years since he had had milk with dinner and he was beginning to wonder why.

There was the chink of wood on glass as he placed the cup down and began to eat some of the steamed carrots on his plate. Truthfully, he did not eat a lot, mostly pushed his food around on his plate for the last twenty minutes.

"No, I was going to say, 'finish your potatoes before they get cold'," she said, an eyebrow raised. He looked down at his food, mainly the pile of mashed potatoes, then back at Raven, who sat across from him sipping a cup of tea; Azar's had been closed for a few days, ever since Victor was attacked, so she was on a vacation of sorts. One that involved a lot of worry and sleepless nights, much like any vacation where you leave two teenagers alone for a weekend.

There was still no response from Victor, but Karen had yet to leave his side. She spoke to him a lot, saying that she knew he could hear her. Kori had offered her a room with Raven and herself but Karen stayed at the hospital day and night. She had to told the staff she was his fiancée so they wouldn't kick her out. All three girls had agreed it doesn't matter if you lie about such things to the hospital staff. They were only the hospital staff, Dictators of Death as Kori called them. Raven thought she was not far off with that as she thought about the one man who had been the closest thing to a father she ever had.

"Oh," he proceeded to shovel them into his mouth; they were lukewarm, not cold enough to make them horrible, but not quite warm enough to make them as tasty as they could have been. He did not really taste anything anyways, so he didn't notice it much. Everything was dull; shades of grey where there had once been colour in his world. He doubted if true colour would ever return.

He was bedraggled and thin, four days later and he hadn't eaten until Raven had forced him upstairs and handed him a plate. His lank and greasy hair hung in his eyes as he sat slouched over the table. His clothing was filthy and he had cuts on his hands, probably from bar fights in the worse parts of town. He didn't have Azar's to go to when he needed a drink now. His eyes were bloodshot and dark circles under them gave him the appearance of a drug addict. It was too much…slowly he was breaking down. Raven now worried for his health mental and otherwise. He looked sick and she feared for his metal state.

"You know, Gar, I'm always here to listen," she signed, not sure if this was even getting to him through the wall that grief had put up, "you will get through this, stop moping. Your dad wouldn't want you to be so sad, you cannot keep acting like this. "

What she said came out sharper and harsher than she meant them to and the moment the words left her lips she realized it was the worst possible thing to say. He looked up at her, without moving his head, giving her a rather angry and hurt look. She just stared back, unknowing what to say.

He was angry, and he deserved to be. She had basically just told him to get over the death of his father. She stood looking back at him, frozen; waiting for his reaction. He lifted his head slightly and slowly stood. His thin frame rose, his eyes never leaving hers. She couldn't read them, there was a mass of anger, confusion and sadness and something else she couldn't recognise.

"Fuck you."

He spoke quietly; turned and walked out of the apartment. His words seemed to ring through the room, taking all the air and suffocating her. Raven stared after him, tears forming in her eyes. Fear for what he would do ran through her mind, bar fights, walking drunk through the streets…and anyone who had lost someone that close to him was bound to flirt with thoughts of ending their own life, and with what happened with Richard, he might get ideas. Some comments he said worried her, letting her mind wonder how serious the small offhanded hints about joining his parents were. How far he was willing to act upon his thoughts, dark as they may be.

The room was fading into white when she remembered to breathe. She grabbed her navy blue coat, car keys and followed his path out the door. She had let enough people run away in her life.

---

Karen sat there, holding his hand, talking to him telling him to wake up and get better. Nurses told her to go home a lot but she didn't listen; one angry look usually shut them up.

She had promised him and herself that she wasn't going to leave. If she did, she knew she would go back to Darrel, and she couldn't do that to the baby.

A machine near his bed had been beeping frequently for the last while and doctors kept coming in and checking it, but Karen took no notice, she sat there talking to him about everything, mostly about the baby. Lately everything thing had become about him or the baby and she liked how it had helped her perception of her life. In her mind, she had the faint hope that he could hear her and he knew he had to wake up.

A doctor tapped her on the shoulder and she jumped.

"Miss?" He said, she looked at him with sad eyes. No doctor had spoken to her in a few days, just the nurses. He had short dark hair and warm friendly eyes, much like Garfield's. Despite his good appearance, she was still wary of whatever news he brought.

"Yes?" she responded, looking at him, not blinking. Sitting by Victor's bedside for four days had readied her for almost anything.

"Your…fiancée, he should be waking up in a little while, if these brain wave patterns are accurate," the only thing that registered in Karen's mind was that he would wake up. Her face lit up and the first smile in ages crossed her face, breaking a seemingly never-ending mask of fear and sadness.

"He's going to be alright?" she asked, standing up on shaky legs. Everything seemed fuzzy and she knew her hands were shaking. This wave of emotion could not be good for the baby.

"Yes and due the to fact it was a glancing blow there should be minimal damage, if any at all," the young doctor smiled, and placed his hand on her shoulder. She felt thin under his hand and her clothing was very creased up. He wondered how long she would have sat there if the patient weren't going to wake up.

"Thank you, thank you so much!" Karen said, and with that, she broke down onto the floor crying. The doctor simply grabbed a box of tissues and placed it down on the floor beside her. The nurses stopped to look but the doctor shooed them away.

People cried a lot, he had noticed and with his chosen occupation, he found that the best thing to do was let them cry. This was one of the few times when the news he delivered wasn't followed by sad tears of broken lives. He walked out of the room and closed the door quietly, leaving Karen sobbing and hiccupping on the tile flooring.

---

Nothing drains someone mentally, physically and emotionally like anger. It is the one emotion that can take total control and takes almost everything from you; the will to live, control over thought, rational anything, even other emotions.

Garfield sat on a bench in the park, his chest heaving with the waves of grief and hurt that hit him with tsunami-like force. He had long since been a believer in Freudian slips and he knew someone who had as much trouble with emotions as Raven probably had meant exactly what she said, but even though he knew she hadn't meant to hurt him, he was still angry. Anger was something to distract him from the crushing sadness, and for that, he was grateful. Anything to distract him was welcome at this point.

Yet that blinding anger was fading away to a crushing sadness over what he had said to the one person who had tried to help him throughout this whole affair. No one was around, fall's evenings were not the festival of activity that summers were.

He stood and began to walk home, his feet dragged on the street as he walked by those who the world had thrown away. Prostitutes, runaways and the homeless, People caught in the gravity of life, unable to change their course. These ones were the living proof of the hopelessness of the world.

He tossed some change into a cup next to a man covered in ratty blankets and walked on, knowing that his money was going to by beer or crack or something else that would be a temporary blinder for the cruelty of the world. A small additive to desensitize them briefly to the unspeakable travesties of the human condition. He kept walking, not looking at anyone, not stopping, he had to get home, and exhaustion was setting in and he need to rest.

He remembered what he had said at the hospital, "I don't want to be alone". Now he was, so very much alone. He paused when he heard his name being called. He turned ans saw it was Raven. His arm shot out and a taxi coasted to a stop in front of him. He climbed into the backseat and told the drived his address. The last thing he wanted was to talk to her.

---

"What the fuck do you mean you can't do anything about it? He might have permanent brain damage!" Yelled Richard at his former boss. The heavyset man just looked at the ex-cop and sighed. He was sick of Richard yelling at him about this.

"Look, Grayson, we can't do anything we don't know who did this!" He explained, Richard looked like he was about to explode.

"Look the suspect has made threats to Victor before, his ex-girlfriend is living at Victor's place, and everything fits!"

"There isn't any proof on this guy. Grayson, I would love to help but I can't. No one can. I know he is your buddy and you want to help but you have to understand you can't do anything. This is one of those times when you're going to be useless. It's hard I know but you have to accept that. Now please get out of my office I have to check up in a file for a crime lord who is supposed to be returning to the city."

Richard sighed and left, he was useless, the little voice was right, it always had been. He had stopped going to see the counsellor about a week ago but had been lying to Kori about it. The sessions weren't helping, he knew that. More and more he found himself wanting to jump off a bridge when he crossed it, or being on the verge of stepping into traffic…just to end it all.

Driving slowly, he resisted the urge to crash his car and drove to Azar's; he needed a drink more than anything. Getting out of the car and locking it, he walked into the building. Kori had opened it, after finding a replacement singer.

Richard downed another bourbon chaser; the sixth one within the time space of an hour. He would be the first to admit he was intoxicated.

Kori looked over at his slumped form while handing a jello-shot to a brunette in a halter-top and low-rise jeans in front of her. With a last glance at her boyfriend in his marathon of trying to drink himself to a plain of higher existence she went into the kitchen.

"Hello there, hot stuff," cooed the woman Kori had served. Richard looked at her with blurry vision then went back to trying to flick peanuts into a glass on the other side of the counter. It was a personal rule for him not to ever eat the bar nuts but he was good at aiming them, intoxicated or not. It was a great source of amusement if a woman with a low shirt collar was sitting across from him. The woman let the cold shoulder Richard had given her slide over her. She smiled, not to be deterred, and walked over to him.

"I said 'hello'" she said, a seductive tone in her voice. He looked at her again and shook his head, indicating that he wanted her to leave. He didn't want to talk, talking did not help, ever.

She gave a mesmerizing smile, and placed a hand on his arm. Her nails were painted a cheap glossy pink and were perfectly manicured. He noticed the cheap faux-golf bracelets she wore and he could smell a knock off for of some sultry perfume.

"Wanna dance, cutie?" she whispered leaning close to his ear. This woman was getting rather irritating he thought as he finished another one of the full drinks lined up in front of him. He guessed he would have to talk to her about leaving him alone.

"I have a girlfriend," he said, rather sloppily, but clearly enough to be understandable. Her grip on his arm tightened and she pulled him to his feet. She was tall enough to be less than an inch shorter than he was and had a vice like grip on his arm as he steadied himself on his feet.

"Tell me if I'm better," she said, and kissed him full on the lips. His intoxicated reaction time, coupled with sheer surprise stopped him from doing anything. Her hand moved his to the waist of her jeans as she pushed her tongue in his mouth. The kiss only ending about five seconds later when Kori pulled the bar tramp, who had gotten rather "feely" off him.

"What is it that are you doing? Why are you kissing my boyfriend?" she asked the woman, who looked shocked at the strength of the skinny bar owner and of the pure rage in her green eyes.

"He kissed me!" the woman said, trying to save her ass from the very dangerous sounding bartender.

"Richard, does this wrecker of the home speak the truth?" she said, hurt and confusion dulling the anger in her accented voice.

"Huh…wha…yeah…" he said, not following the conversation. The only part he heard was "you kissing my boyfriend" before the alcohol shut down a good portion of his hearing.

Never had anything hurt Kori more, and she wasn't afraid to tell Richard.

"Get the hell out of my bar!" she hissed at the woman, manually shoving her out the door. Richard looked at Kori and tried to explain with slurred verbs and misplaced words.

"Kori...I…she…didn't…"

"Richard, please vacate the building. I am doing the breaking up with you," She burst into tears and ran into the kitchen. He hung his head in utter defeat and walked out the door, forgetting his coat on the stool. On his way home as he drove, endangering the lives of about fifty New Yorkers and himself with his drunk swerving. He made it back to his modest apartment, and stumbled out of his car0,barely remembering to lock it. He fumbled for the keys, he had been living with Kori of a while and hadn't been back since that night Garfield came over.

He signed as he lumbered around, a slave to his thoughts. He had no job, no Kori hell he could not even help his comatose best friend. He was useless.

He entered his kitchen and grabbed the gun that had been sitting on his table since when Garfield was here last. He sloppily wrote the words "I'm sorry" in a drunken cursive on a bill sitting on the table. As an after thought he wrote, "I love you Kori" underneath. Putting the barrel of the gun in his mouth with a slow deliberate movement, he sat down on the chair.

There was no one to save him now, no last minute salvation from Garfield. No one to help him. This time the voice would shut up, the thoughts would stop and the pain would end. He squeezed his eyes shut; this was going to be loud.

With one final breath, and the taste of cold metal in his mouth, he pulled the trigger.

* * *

Next chapter: The finale.  
Sequel?

* * *

(Check out my other story: Two Worlds Apart. Warning the summary is really weak but the story itself is solid as far as my craptastic writing goes.) 


	15. Finale

His hand twitched slightly in hers and she woke from the light sleep she had fallen into. She looked at his face as every so slowly his eyes opened for the first time in ages. The deep brown clouded with sleep and confusion. It seemed to take forever; minutes ticked by as he slowly feel back into a collective state of being conscious. 

She broke into a huge smile as she saw a glimmer of recognition at her face in his eyes. She looked back at him, her hands shaking with joy, tears falling down her face.

Words failed her as she just looked at him, a small hopeful smile gracing her face. The doctor had not lied; he was okay. She was not going to be alone.

"Nnnng," he made an incoherent noise that broke her inability to articulate a sentence. He was barely conscious but he was alive and he was going to make it.

"Victor!" she finally said, her voice high pitched with the overwhelming and tremendous relief at seeing life in him again. He did not move and he seemed on the verge of going under again. She held his hand tighter as he haltingly began to speak.

"K…Karen…?" His voice was barely a whisper, it sounded rusty and strained. She leaned her ear near his mouth to hear his next strained words, "…the baby…?"

"The baby is fine," she said, hugging him and ringing for a nurse, "everything is going to be fine," Her voice was alive with jubilant happiness, "everything is going to be fine."

For the first time in a long time, she meant it.

---

He hated what he had become; this was not how he wanted his life to end up.

Anger drove him, just as it drove the rest of the world. Garfield wanted to scream until his throat ruptured and tore open and his lungs burst like bloody balloons.

Raven was right, her words has not been cruel or hurtful yet now he was pushing away one of the few people he cared most about in this hateful world he had been born into. He could not help it, he wanted to lash out at somebody. To have a reason to do something stupid to prove he was still able to feel something other that grief.

He was using what she had said as a smokescreen to hide his own anguish, misery and pain at his loss, and he was sickened by his own weakness. The thoughts about joining his parents and the musings about going through what Richard had tried haunted him but every time it had been, her memory and her voice telling him to hold that had made him keep getting up in the morning, although he realized if he kept drinking he may very well end up an alcoholic. However he was past caring, nothing seemed to matter anymore.

However now that hardly held any weight, or importance, not even school seemed important enough to care even remotely about. All that really mattered to him was drowning the grey haze of his world in something and booze was readily available to him, and did the job, if only temporarily.

His apartment loomed over him as he stared up at the building. Carefully he walked up the stairs mentally counting them. It was something to do, he did live on the fifteenth floor, and since he was a small child elevators had scared the hell out of him.

He supposed they always would, even if it was a bit of an inconvenience to always take the stairs. A memory of his mother trying to get him to stop him from painfully clinging to her while they rode an elevator rose from his mind to a heartbreaking clarity. Even then, when he was being a bother, she had smiled at him, made him feel brave for even riding the dreaded machine.

A few tears fell from his eyes and were quickly absorbed by the carpet. He pushed the memory aside as he did with all of them.

When he opened the doors and switched on the lights, he saw the papers for the funeral on the table. He had filled them out that morning, barely making it through; the only salvation being a huge pot of espresso coffee, half a bottle of rum afterwards and six fat granola bars filled with raisins.

He had meant to get them to the funeral director but other things had gotten in his way. Now he simply e-mailed the electronic versions to the service and turned off his laptop, even though he hated e-mail with a surprising passion. The pre-made plans had been set for two days from then and he had simply given permission to proceed.

A small service was planned, for everyone, the friends and family; both of whom Garfield did not want to face. Then the burial was to follow, where he would be the only one attending. It was the hardest part. Yet, he felt that it was something he had to do alone. It was his last goodbye, his last chance to apologise.

The answering machine light was blinking and he played the message, now so numb except for burning self hatred and grief that he didn't care what was on the tiny electronic tape. It was Raven; she was begging him to call her. Before the message ended, he pushed erase.

The place seemed cold in the dim light issuing from the kitchen. The apartment had always seemed cold to him, it was too big for one person. He had toyed with the idea of getting a pet, but he was not there often enough, he spent nights at friends houses or at his parents place, well it was his place now. He stood and went to the fridge and pulled out a Canadian beer.

A small voice told him he would always think of it as his father's house. Even if he were to be wed and fill it with children, it would always belong to Mark Logan, not Garfield Logan.

He slumped down on the couch and stared at the cactus perched on top of his modest television set. He had had that cactus since he was in ninth grade, and it had come to be affectionately known as, "Bob". It had been a gift from his mother.

A few parties with his old friends, before he had graduated from high school had resulted in the plant being watered with beer, vodka and many other drinks from underage parties. It always surprised him that the plant was still alive. The little guy was a trooper, and Garfield wished he had the little plants strength.

"You know what Bob," he said, looking at the little green plant, and opening the can of foreign alcohol, "life is shit."

---

Raven sat in the seat of her car, outside of the pub. He had run away from her…time had taught her enough to know not to follow. No matter how much she wanted to. It took almost every fibre of self control to not follow him and slap some sense into him or kiss him until he felt better, yet she knew that would not work.

As she stared at the dark meters on the dash, overpowering memories surfaced, bringing stinging and previously forbidden tears to her eyes. Her brow furrowed as she scrunched her eyes shut, trying to block the tears.

This situation seemed too much like the night her mother died, and it brought back the overwhelming guilt that Raven had refused to face. Images of seeing her mother on a slab of dull steel at the city morgue came rushing back in suffocating waves.

The smells of the basement room became sharp, still preserved in her memory, the sharp odour of disinfectant, and the dull smell of death and embalming fluids. Shudders gripped her body as the fought back the urge to vomit.

She knew how she had made Garfield feel, the agony of losing one parent to whom you had a strained relationship with was hard enough but losing two with whom you were vary close to in such a short period of time had to be the worst thing in the world.

That hurt look in his face seemed to push all other thoughts away. His words so filled with a cold anger had burned. Now, he was who knows where doing who knows what and she could not help him.

"Damn it, Gar," she said, slamming her fists on the steering wheel. It was at these times she had mixed feelings about ever having met him. Never before had she worried about someone this much before and it bothered her to do so now.

The nightmares had continued, and one more than one occasion she had seen him in the streets. Kori remarked on how skinny she was getting, and Raven knew that she could not keep functioning on the small sleep she got between the brutal dreams.

Yet Raven had been more worried about Garfield and her friends to devote much time to her father. He had ruined her life, but he was not a key factor in it anymore. If he tried to speak to her, she would call the cop for a violation of a restraining order, but that still did not stop to vicious nightmares.

Taking a deep breath she got out of her car and went inside the dark pub, Kori had closed early, for once Raven was glad, even if they did need the income. The room was dark, the paintings looking eerie in the dark, the woods very black, light only by the dull orange light of the streetlamps.

Upstairs, she found Kori crying on the couch, a pint of Ben and Jerry's ice cream in front of her, two more on the ground around her, all cartons of double pecan butternut swirl.

"R-Richard…kissed…another g-girl!" Was the tear filled, hiccupped answer to Raven's unasked question.

She sat down on the couch beside her and pushed play on the DVD machine, which Kori had seemed to still be in the first stages of putting on a movie. Soon they were both watching _Grease_ and for that brief hour and a half forgot about Garfield Logan, Richard Grayson and everyone else.

Raven played the movie again as soon as the first credits filled the pixels on the screen, Kori was asleep, her face streaked with mascara, but Kori was one who could not remain sad for long, and raven envied her on that account.

Soon the screen was playing the fifties style musical and she forgot about her life again.

It was nice to forget for a while. Everything was sometimes too much to face. Yet Raven still had a nagging fear for her friend, not knowing if she was going to be able to speak to him again.

---

The gun clicked and the firing pin went off, but no bullets shattered his skull, no lead burning away all his thoughts and pain. Just a hollow sounding click. Richard pulled the trigger again, and still there was nothing. The click echoed into the silence of the empty apartment, coffering Richard's mount horror and frustration.

The gun was empty.

"Fuck." Was all that escaped his lips. An expletive shot out in anger and an overpowering feeling of worthlessness. Garfield had emptied it that night he had first attempted, and inadvertently saved Richard's life again.

He stared at the gun for a long moment before his shoulders, well defined from being in such great shape sagged as he cried. The sobs echoing off into the dusty rooms, reminding him of how alone he was.

Anger at how useless and weak he was rushed forward, blinding him with self-loathing and the never-ending belief that he should be dead. End his pathetic drain on resources and his fouling up of the world. He had nothing no one would care. If was a small morbid comfort to know no one would care, that he wouldn't be horrible again and hurt another person.

Slowly the anger melted into crushing desolation and empty feeling of giving up. He had nothing…he was nothing.

"No…" he said, incoherently and drawn out. Getting up on legs shaking with despair and purpose he trudged to the blue tiled bathroom, slipping and stumbling, using the worn but well cared for furniture as support. Drunkenly making his way through the off white door the grabbed the medicine cabinet where he pulled open the small mirror cabinet with such force that the mirror cracked at the corner that had connected against the wall.

He pulled a prescription bottle for sleeping aids out, unopened. The little orange bottle was his last hope for escape. He had refused to take the little pills, he always feel asleep eventually. Even if it took hours to retreat into slumber he refused artificial sleep, he knew somehow it would only making this worse, more complicated and somehow make him more hollow. It seemed too unnatural and too confirming of his inability to be normal that he refused the drug, but now it seemed like the perfect, painless escape.

He broke the casing and swallowed them dry. Some stuck in his throat, painfully reminding him he had one, but he washed them down with a large gulp of tap water. Ignoring as he did so the chlorine that made the city water so vile and fake tasting.

Face streaked with tears he knelt down, resting his head on the cool baby blue bathroom tile. Knowing it would all ending with falling asleep. He closed his eyes and waited, hoping and praying that the voice would finally be silence and that he would not be so useless.

Tears stopped falling, but remained on his cheeks, but he could not feel them. He was slowly standing up when a wave of dizziness hit him and he pitched forward, his hands reflexively grabbing the icy rim of the sky blue porcelain toilet seat. He had barely caught himself on the edge before he heaved violently.

Leaning over the water he threw up all the alcohol, food, pills he had swallowed, and then some. He could not do anything but retch, his body heaving with painful involuntary movements. When it seemed he had thrown up everything he had ever eaten and his mouth tasted of hydrochloric acid and bile did he realize he was crying again.

When it was over and all he was doing was dry heaving he slumped down beside the toilet, and fell asleep. Dead to the world, but mostly decidedly still alive.

After you attempt to end your life, you are never quite the same, Richard knew this and since that, first night had been faced with the repercussions of his actions. The ever pressing hate filled question of why he had not gone through with it was what he woke up to almost daily.

People had been there for him, helping him and he had made it far but there was still the voice, one that could not be silenced by others helping him, but one that could never really be vanished, that would always darken the frame of a perfect moment.

Suicide changes everything.

The effects of drinking, the binge of pill taking and the fatigue of vomiting had worn him into a dreamless sleep, surrounded by azure walls, cheap blue tile and a few glass chips and the remnants of his shattered strength and painful lose of hope.

---

Victor had given him a weak high five and Garfield ahs been overly relived to see he was not about to lose someone else. The knowledge of Victor being all right was a small bit of buoyancy in a rather cold pool of grief in which he was now drowning.

The service had been nice, people talking about his parents, all nice good things that he already knew about, but still helped to hear. He was gracious and kind despite being hung over and angry with every one of those people for not being there before.

His anger was more with himself for not being with his parents more, for not trying harder to make them smile and have a few last happy days.

However, he had worn the suit and chatted, missing his parents more and more and marvelling at how so many people had changed. The stories about his father in his youth had given Garfield something to smile about, and it felt good, painful but good.

The amount of people at the wake was staggering but still under control and comforting. His parents had touched and helped many people. The old movie, _It's a Wonderful Life _had been on his mind all night as he watched everyone mill about and discuss his parents influence on his or her lives. For about five hours, he watched the crowd work their way through the customary and rather false grief after losing someone.

As he watched the coffins being lowered into the cold ground he felt a tears slide down his cheek.

"Bye Mum, bye Dad," He mumbled, seeing the shining wood of the coffin and feeling like his heart was creaking in two. He was alone. No one was here now, it had been his parent's wishes for to just be a wake and Garfield was determined to respect them to pinpoint accuracy, it was the last thing he could ever do for them.

His hands were shoved in is pockets to protect them from the cold, wet day, the wind whipped around him, sending leaves tumbling at his feet. Everything seemed too clear. The grass was green enough to be fake, the trees too vivid and the white cloudy sky too bright. The coffins were too shiny, the dirt too textured as it fell on the varnished top, marring it with a mica-specked dust.

Mostly, the coffins made his parents deaths too real. All the grief had reverted to a shockingly cold numbness that seemed ready to suffocate him. He shrugged his shoulders in an attempt to rearrange his clothing away from his neck area.

"No one should have to bury their parents alone," came a voice from behind him. He turned, his black tie fluttering in the wind. Raven was behind him, dressed in a simple black dress and coat. The wind pulling her hair back from her pale face.

His eyes met her and her own spoke of an apology that she could not express through words.

"I have to do this alone," He said, his words still edged with a slight sharpness. Raven broke eye contact and looked down at the slightly damp grass.

He looked at her, his eyes welling with tears that he refused to shed. Seeing her seemed to bring everything, crashing forward. Her black shoes made little noise as she walked forward and took his hand, squeezing it, her slender fingers with the clear polished nailed intertwined with his own slightly thicker, rough fingers.

Garfield just looked down at their hands, her hand was so warm, and the first real thing he had felt in days.

Silently they watched the graves fill up, the priest stop talking and sombrely left, too unaffected after years of his job to really have conviction in his voice as he gave his condolences and Garfield didn't blame the poor man.

He watched the tombstones, for a while, one tear falling down his cheek, the breeze creating an icy track on his face. Ravens stepped forward and placed two Cyclamens, signifying good-bye on the fresh graves, with a soft farewell to the man who had been more like her father than anyone ever had before.

She stood and walked a few feet away, letting Garfield say good bye.

Nothing hurt more than seeing a grown man, kneel and cry silently, his hands on both slight rises in the ground. They remained like that for close to twenty minutes, Garfield mumbling goodbyes and apologies for being so distant at first, Raven just waiting for him.

When he stood, he walked up to who had become his best friend and gave her a look that told clearly of the pain he was suffering. Without a word she reached up and grabbed a leaf from his hair. He had wiped the tearstains off his face, but his eyes were still red. Without another word, the two walked off, towards the gate.

They did not speak as they walked side by side away from the graves, they did not have to.

* * *

Author's Notes: Finally I have completed this. It feels good, even it if is five in the morning and I have to work a seven hours shift in six hours.  
I still am unsure if I want a sequel, I do have some ideas but...I am sitting on the fence. It depends on who reads this, if I get a decent amount of feedback, as for a sequel and actually giving me a reason as to why they want it I may write a sequel. As I did want to progress Gar's and Raven's relationships farther, as well as explore Karen's character and Victor's part in this whole angst ridden -insert multiple insults about my work.- bit of writing. 

So if you wish for a sequel, please let me know...intelligenetly, I beg of you.

--- Richard's last scene is not well written, I tried I swear and I apologise but my experience with suicide was different, not driven by his same motives, only connected in the slightest.  
The comment the suicide changes everything it painfully true. ---


	16. Another for the Road

Quietly the man slept, unaware of the one who stood over him, watching him and taking in the scene around him. The form, sleeping off an obviously painful night seemed almost peaceful, seemingly out of place in the rather revolting state the pale blue themed bathroom was. 

"Richard…Richard," The standing form said, nudging the sleeping body with a bandaged hand, "Dick wake up!"

Richard Grayson moved slowly then sat up holding his head and stifling a groan. His icy blues eyes dark rimmed and red from the night of drinking and attempted death.

"You tried again didn't you?" Asked the voice, no anger present, only edged with sadness and concern. One that knew the secrets of the man before him understood the dark and powerful motivations and possessed a desire to help this man, not on for Richard's sake but for his own.

"Y-yeah," mumbled Richard, standing up slowly, his foot kicking an empty bottle of sleeping pills away. The orange plastic rattled across the linoleum and rebounded off the wall. The sound seemed too loud and Richard winced, his head pounding with unrelenting force.

* * *

This is the first five paragraphs in the sequel, now posted, called _Another for the Road_.  
Please take a look.  



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